The Clone Wars: The Final Season
by Lola Jeery
Summary: The end of the war is near! Expirience the Clone Wars leading up to and coinciding with Episode III: Revenge of the Sith! Read 22 episodes of action, adventure, mystery, romance, comedy, and tragedy, as General Grievous terrorizes Kashyyyk, Darth Sidious hires an army of bounty hunters, Coruscant is attacked, the war ends with a shocking twist, and the galaxy sees more adventures!
1. Father Jedi

**A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…**

Father Jedi (Ep. #1, Prod. #5)

* * *

><p>A Jedi on two fronts! The Clone Wars continue, and the Jedi are pushed to their limits! The war has brought out both their strengths, and their weaknesses. One Jedi Knight in particular, Anakin Skywalker, is not only fighting in the Clone Wars, but is secretly fighting his own private battle.<p>

Skywalker is now husband to Senator Padmé Amidala, bound by an illegal marriage. Should word of this relationship reach anyone, both will be dismissed from their duties.

With little time before his next battle, Skywalker returns home to be with his wife, unaware that a trap will soon be sprung….

* * *

><p>The Senate Apartment Complex on Coruscant was a tall building with a suite on each floor exclusively for senators. Padmé Amidala, the Senator for Naboo, lived in a penthouse suite that was given to her by Chancellor Palpatine.<p>

As Anakin Skywalker's speeder neared the docking platform he felt a certain chill that came whenever he saw this building. On one hand, he knew he would be seeing his wife soon, and they would be together – hopefully without interruption.

On the other hand, he had to keep the hood of his Jedi cloak up every time he came for fear of being recognized. If he was seen here too often, people would become suspicious of both him and Padmé. If anyone found out about their marriage, he would be expelled from his position in the Jedi Order, and Padmé would lose hers in the Senate – positions they had dreamed of since childhood.

Of course, there were a few people who knew they were good friends, but Anakin didn't trust any of them with his secret – not even his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, or his oldest mentor, Chancellor Palpatine.

Anakin parked his speeder and walked to the elevator. Padmé lived on the topmost floor, and therefore it took longer for the elevator to get there. But when he finally arrived, he saw his wife in the sitting room.

Still wearing her senatorial dress, Padmé Amidala was arguing with her gold protocol droid, C-3PO.

"You're sure I look all right?" asked Padmé.

"Oh, of course!" exclaimed C-3PO. "You look lovely!"

"I need to appeal to the other senators if I want to win this vote."

Padmé jumped as Anakin said from behind, "I think you're the most beautiful being in the universe."

"Anakin!" She ran to embrace her husband. C-3PO left without asking. He had learned that whenever Anakin came, no one wanted him around. Once the couple had finished kissing, Padmé continued "You should have called me before coming."

"Where's the fun in that?" asked Anakin. "I like to see you surprised. And like I said, you're naturally beautiful."

"It's not that, Ani," replied Padmé. "A group of Senators has invited me to dinner tonight, so today isn't a good day for us. We can talk for a few hours, but then I have to leave."

Anakin sighed in annoyance. "Of course! There always has to be something!"

"Ani, I'm really sorry."

"This is unbelievable!" continued Anakin. "This war is tearing us away from each other! Pretty soon it'll be _months_ or even _years_ between our visits!"

"That's exactly what I want to talk about," interrupted Padmé. "We may not have enough time left together, so we need to decide now what we want to do in the way of child –"

"NO!" Anakin yelled, as though he didn't want to hear the word. "I keep telling you that it's impossible! This whole marriage is a long shot, but there's no way we'll be able to support a child!"

"Says the person who said our marriage would work out!" exclaimed Padmé, taken aback.

"Well, who said our marriage _wouldn't_ work? Tell me, Padmé, who said that?"

"I was wrong then! I didn't love you when I said it, okay? In case you haven't noticed, we're managing just fine! How should raising a child be any different? I've already thought of everything, and I've planned it out. I even have a name in case it's a girl.

"Besides, on Naboo, it's tradition to have children as soon as possible. Also, on Alderaan, they think it's a good idea for anyone to have children in case of a tragedy in which thousands are killed!"

Anakin scoffed. "Like anything will ever destroy Alderaan."

"The point is, I've thought this over, and I think you should, too. I think you'll find you'll be a great father."

* * *

><p>In the Jedi Temple, not far from the apartment complex, Jedi Master Yoda was overseeing a group of five Jedi Younglings in their early training. This group was less than five years old, but they were already strong with the Force.<p>

That was why Yoda was always so fond of children. They often teach older Jedi valuable lessons. Even Yoda knew more about himself just by teaching the Younglings.

As the Jedi Grand Master, it was Yoda's responsibility to begin a Jedi's training, usually at infancy. He would teach them the basics of the Force until their mid-teen years, when they were each assigned to their own Jedi Master as Padawans.

Yoda walked through the temple with the curious Younglings following him. "Where are we going, Master?" asked one child.

"Hmmm. A surprise it shall be. One of the proudest parts of this temple, it is." He led them through a long corridor with two large, wooden doors at the end. With a wave of his hand, the doors creaked open, revealing the chamber within.

While the temple was mostly stone and carpet, the room into which he led them resembled a tropical forest. Upon seeing the room, the Younglings exclaimed in delight and ran around, exploring the room.

Yoda never got tired of the reactions of a Youngling upon seeing the Room of a Thousand Fountains for the first time. The room was several stories tall and almost half a square kilometer at its base. There were dirt and stone paths winding through the dense foliage, with bridges over the many streams. Thousands of different types of trees and flowers from all over the galaxy were scattered throughout; some had even gone extinct hundreds of years ago! The most surprising features were the walls and ceiling programmed to look like the forest and sky extended forever.

"Younglings," Yoda called, "To the Room of a Thousand Fountains, I welcome you. A place of meditation and relaxation, this is. Marvel at its beauty. Nurture its life. Let it take your consciousness."

The children were still running about the room. They had never seen such a beautiful place before. But in their excitement, they didn't sense the unwelcome person in their midst.

The leaves on one of the trees rustled, and the branches parted just enough so that the person hiding in them could see. The intruder was none other than former Jedi Youngling and now bounty hunter, Aurra Sing.

During her Padawan years, Aurra was kidnapped by pirates and trained to be a merciless assassin. She mainly went after Jedi and Senators. Now she had infiltrated the Jedi Temple with the intention of kidnapping an important Jedi and selling him to Count Dooku.

And with Master Yoda in plain sight and unsuspecting, he was the perfect target.

She carefully drew her sniper rifle, and aimed it at the Jedi's head. But just as she fired, Yoda sat down and began to meditate, and the bolt sailed right over his head, barely grazing his gray hair. Suddenly aware of the danger, he ignited his lightsaber and jumped towards the tree. Out of instinct, Aurra fell out onto the ground.

As Yoda landed a few meters in front of her, Aurra quickly pulled out two blaster pistols and fired them at the Jedi in rapid succession. But even at such a fast speed and short distance, Yoda was powerful enough to deflect each one until the ammunition ran out.

But Aurra wasn't finished yet. She smiled as she took out a thermal detonator and threw it at her quarry. Yoda used the Force to catch it and try to throw it back at Aurra. But it was too late. Instead of exploding fire, the detonator released a wave of toxic gas so powerful it knocked both of them to the ground.

Aurra was bigger and was able to stop herself from hitting the ground so hard. She climbed up her tree to escape the gas. But Yoda, being less than a meter tall, was knocked hard into the camouflaged stone wall and didn't recover in time. He was engulfed by the gas and fell unconscious.

Now all Aurra had to do was wait for the gas to subside and she would be free to take the Jedi Master to his former apprentice.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker sulked into the Jedi Temple. After their argument, Padmé Amidala had left for her dinner, and Anakin had to go back to the temple.<p>

He was really stressed at the moment after the heat of the argument, and Obi-Wan Kenobi once said that meditation helps reduce stress. That's why Anakin had decided to go to the Room of a Thousand Fountains.

At the end of the corridor, he saw that the two wooden doors were hanging open. He sighed and muttered "Darn kids," before closing the doors behind him. When he began to walk into his favorite clearing, he saw smoke with an odd smell accompanying it. "That's odd," he remarked. Then he saw scorching holes in the leaves of the trees. Then he became suspicious. Jedi didn't carry blasters!

Anakin instinctively ignited his lightsaber and looked around. "All right, intruder! I know you're here! You can't hide!" He walked around for a while, keeping his senses open. He saw a small body lying on the ground and went to investigate.

He gasped. It was Master Yoda! But Anakin could sense he wasn't dead. That was a relief. But he didn't understand what was happening.

Then he heard the rustling of leaves and turned towards the source of the sound. There was a large bush in the corner of the room. Anakin walked up to the bush stealthily and, when he was close enough, used the Force to part the branches and reveal the source of the noise.

Five Jedi Younglings stood huddled and screaming.

Anakin shushed them. "Why do you kids have to be so loud?"

"Where is she?" whimpered a girl.

"Who?"

"The lady who killed Master Yoda!" sobbed a boy.

"First of all, Master Yoda isn't dead. He's just unconscious. And second of all, if you don't calm down soon, you _will_ be dead."

The Younglings suddenly stopped crying and stared at Anakin fearfully. Then a girl screamed.

"I said calm down!" retorted Anakin, not realizing why she was screaming.

"Oh, I don't know if they should," said a cold, mocking voice. Anakin whirled around to face the intruder. "Anakin Skywalker. Long time, no see."

Anakin held his lightsaber aloft. "Aurra Sing!"

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala was glad to be out of her apartment and away from Anakin Skywalker. She didn't understand why he disliked children. What was wrong with them?<p>

She didn't have time to ponder these questions. She had a dinner to enjoy with some of her friends from the Senate. Mon Mothma of Chandrila had called her and said the Senate was expected to make more cuts to fund the war effort. Padmé said she would be glad to hear what her concerns were.

After a delicious meal, Mon Mothma began to speak. "I've called you here tonight because some serious cuts have been brought to my attention. They are supposed to fund the war effort at minimal cost to the public."

"What kind of cuts are they?" asked Bail Organa of Alderaan.

"To be brief, all children in the Republic, and any children who will be born in the Republic in the near future, are now at risk."

Padmé's heart skipped a beat. "What! What are they thinking? We can't put off innocent children just so we can pay for more troops!"

"That's precisely the point," continued Mon. "No one is interested in the good of our children. They believe the children are too much trouble to deal with in war time."

"What's wrong with children?" asked Bail. "My wife Breha and I have been talking about adopting a baby girl for months."

Chi Eekway Papanoida of Pantora laughed. "You think children are great before you have them. But you need to spend a lot of time with them before you make any conclusions.

"Children may be cute, but for the first few years of their lives they are helpless pets pestering you for attention every time they see you! With all the extra work you've been doing, Senator, you won't have any time for a child."

Padmé's mouth hung open. Was Chi Eekway right? What if she and Anakin went and had a baby and didn't have the time or energy to take care of it?

"Yes," agreed Mon to Padmé and Bail's surprise. "Children are also very expensive. Just to pay for food, clothing, schooling, and other needs would take half our salaries alone."

Padmé was again caught off-guard. Anakin didn't get paid much for being a Jedi, as they don't usually have families to support. So with Padmé being the only parent who makes money, could they afford to have a baby?

As the Senators discussed the other cuts being made, Padmé went through her plan in her head, trying to fix the spots she just thought of. She couldn't think of any way it would work! Was Anakin right?

* * *

><p>Aurra Sing quickly drew her blaster pistols and began firing at the newcomer Jedi. Anakin Skywalker used his lightsaber to deflect as many bolts as he could while still protecting the Younglings. One bolt hit Anakin on his right forearm. Aurra laughed triumphantly, misjudging Anakin's sense of pain in his cybernetic arm.<p>

Anakin took this opportunity to grab Aurra with the Force and throw her against the wall. While she recovered from the blow, Anakin jumped and lunged at her, bringing down his lightsaber. But Aurra took out one of her stolen lightsabers and blocked the blow. Then she kicked out at Anakin, stunning him, thus giving her time to climb up a tree and into a vent.

When Anakin was sure Aurra was gone, he turned to the Younglings and said "Listen to me. You need to _stay here_ until I catch her."

"But we don't want to be alone!" whined a boy.

Anakin sighed. "Do you even understand? If you just go out into the open, she'll kill you all. If you stay here, you won't be in any risk. So stay here. Stay." Anakin turned to leave but the Younglings instantly began to cry again. "Oh! And Padmé actually _likes_ kids?"

"Don't leave us here!" cried a girl.

Anakin sighed in defeat. "All right, listen to me. I'll take you to the Jedi Council Chamber and send someone to watch over you. I don't have time for babysitting."

The children, still shaking, nodded their heads.

"Come on."

So Anakin left the room, five children at his heels.

* * *

><p>Anakin was utterly annoyed by the children he was accompanying. They were constantly whispering to each other, relaying their fears. And whenever they quieted down, Anakin reached out with the Force to find Aurra, only to lose his concentration when the Younglings began to talk again.<p>

Finally, he whirled around and yelled "How can I sense where Aurra is when you keep saying the exact same thing every other second!" When one of the girls shrieked in fear, Anakin shook his head. "It's just me. Do you see anyone else?"

When no one responded, Anakin said "Good. Now the lift to the Council Chamber is at the end of that hall over there. As soon as I find someone, I'll send them up to protect you."

He began to walk away when a boy asked "Can you at least come with us to make sure we get there…?"

"I've already done more than I bargained for! You would do well to obey your elders!"

After a moment's hesitation, the boy bowed. "Yes, Master Skywalker." He then led the rest of the Younglings down the hall.

With the Younglings gone at last, Anakin felt like he could jump for joy and sing. Now he was anxious to go back to Padmé and tell her how bad her idea was, and how he was right about children.

But for now he had to find Aurra. Without the Younglings' constant chatter, he could use the Force without being interrupted. So he reached out with his senses and searched for Aurra. After a minute, he finally found her…

…in the Jedi Council Chamber!

He gasped. He had just sent innocent children to their deaths! Now he didn't want to explain this to Padmé. In fact, if the Jedi Council found out he was responsible, he would be in a lot of trouble!

He couldn't let that happen. He ran as fast as he could after the Younglings, yelling for them to stop. But they didn't answer him, so either they were ignoring him, or they were already on the lift and ascending to their deaths. When Anakin reached the lift he jabbed at the button until the door opened and he rushed inside.

As the lift rose, he tried to use the Force to make it go faster. Next to that, he could only hope he wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala couldn't stop thinking about what Chi Eekway Papanoida had said about children. If she was right, was Anakin right, too? Padmé had to find out. So after dinner, when the Senators could socialize, she pulled Chi Eekway aside.<p>

"Senator, I wanted to ask you…" she began, but Chi Eekway interrupted.

"You want to know why I complained about children earlier."

"Well, yes," replied Padmé. "Do you actually have children?"

"Oh, no! No, I don't have any for myself, but I used to work at a school on Pantora."

"You were a teacher?"

"Of sorts. I met all kinds of children from all different kinds of families. On top of the budget problems we constantly faced, each child had their own problems. Some were mild, some were severe. Once, I knew a child whose parents worked all day, so he never got to spend time with them. He was very sweet and gentle at first, but then he began lashing out at students and teachers just for attention until both parents quit their jobs so they could be with them. They lost all their money and were forced to put the child up for adoption. No one has heard of him or his parents since."

While Chi Eekway paused to catch her breath, Padmé contemplated what she had just heard. She and Anakin both worked all day, just like these two parents, and if they lost their jobs they wouldn't have any money, and they would probably be forced to sell C-3PO. If they had a child, would he or she end up the same way?

"I know you love children, Senator," continued Chi Eekway, "And you have every reason to. But know this; once you have your child, there's no going back. You will be forced to live with your decision. Forever."

* * *

><p>The lift carrying the Younglings slowed and stopped at the top of the Jedi Temple's southeast spire. They came to an antechamber outside the High Council Chamber. The Council Chamber itself was surrounded by wide, glass windows that overlooked the Coruscant landscape, and had twelve large chairs arranged in a circle. But the ceiling was high enough for anyone to not notice anything sticking to it.<p>

The Younglings walked into the room and looked around. They hadn't been to the Council Chamber before, and they wanted to explore. One of the girls looked up at the ceiling to admire its height, but saw something instead that made her scream. The other children looked up and saw Aurra Sing clinging to the top of one of the stone pillars.

She let go and landed on the floor. She stood at full height and laughed down at the Younglings. "Aren't you a little short to be Jedi?" She laughed again and pulled out her sniper rifle. She cocked it and pointed it at the nearest boy.

All of the Younglings were frozen with fear. If only Master Skywalker had come with them.

Suddenly, Aurra's blaster flew out of her hand and a bolt shattered the window. Before the bounty hunter could react, she was lifted into the air and clutched at her throat, trying to pry away whatever was choking her.

She was able to force her head around to see Anakin Skywalker standing in the doorway of the chamber, his right hand balled into a fist. Aurra, with her remaining strength, pulled out one of her pistols and fired it at Anakin, who was forced to drop her so he could dodge the blaster bolt.

Aurra lay on the floor, gasping for breath, expecting Anakin to strike her from behind. But, to her surprise, Anakin instead leapt into the air and landed between her and the children. He was actually trying to defend them rather than face her. She took out a thermal detonator and threw it at the Jedi.

But Anakin was prepared and used the Force to throw the grenade out the window before it could explode, but not before Aurra escaped down the lift.

With the danger over, Anakin turned to the Younglings and knelt down to their level. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you alone. But I promise that from now on, I will not let you out of my sight. Can you forgive me?"

The boy who had led the Younglings to the chamber stepped forward. "We're sorry if we were disrespectful to you, Master Skywalker. We promise to obey you from now on."

Anakin smiled. "Thanks, uh…"

"I'm Luke," replied the boy.

Anakin chuckled. "Luke? What kind of a name…? Never mind. It's nice to meet you, Luke." He held out his hand and the boy shook it.

One of the girls interrupted. "Who was that woman, Master?"

"She's Aurra Sing. She used to be a Jedi Youngling, just like you, but she was kidnapped by pirates and became a bounty hunter and assassin."

"What are we going to do about her?"

Anakin sighed. "We must be patient. For now, we're all going to stay here." Then he took out his comlink and spoke into it. "This is Anakin Skywalker. Are there any Jedi in the Temple? Please, respond."

* * *

><p>Jedi Master Plo Koon was a wise and venerable member of the Jedi Council. Being a Kel Dor, he had wrinkled, peach-colored skin and wore an antiox breath mask and goggles to protect him from carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen, all of which were poisonous to Kel Dors. Plo had a strong sense of justice, but he was a skilled warrior as well. He also possessed unique knowledge of the Force that allowed him to alter the physical environment around him.<p>

He was in the Jedi Temple communications center studying the movements of the many Separatist fleets. There was a strange pattern; it looked as though they were dividing themselves and spreading into all sectors of the Outer Rim. What to make of that, he did not know.

His comlink beeped and relayed a voice. "This is Anakin Skywalker. Are there any Jedi in the Temple? Please, respond."

Plo took out the comlink and answered "Skywalker, this is Master Plo Koon. Is there a problem?"

"Yes," replied Anakin. "A big one. The bounty hunter Aurra Sing has infiltrated the Temple. She attacked Master Yoda in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and a group of Younglings in the Council Chamber."

Plo was surprised. He knew it was possible to infiltrate the temple, but without detection? "Where are you now?"

"I'm in the Council Chamber with the Younglings. I'm staying here to protect them. You need to help us capture Aurra."

"I'm on my way. Protect the Younglings."

Plo turned off the holoprojector and ran to find Master Yoda. When he reached the Room of a Thousand Fountains, he walked cautiously. It was possible Aurra had left some traps should Yoda attempt to leave the room, though he couldn't sense any.

He finally found Yoda in the clearing where the Master was attacked. He was beginning to come back into consciousness.

When he saw his fellow Jedi, Yoda addressed him. "Master Plo, good, it is, to see you."

"Likewise, Master Yoda. Are you all right?"

"Shaken, but not broken. A reckless assassin, Aurra is, but dangerous, nonetheless."

"She attacked your Younglings, but they are being taken care of by Skywalker," added Plo as Yoda looked around.

"Hmmm. A relief, that is. In Skywalker's hands is the future of the Jedi Order. Protect them he must. Find Aurra, we will."

* * *

><p>Bail Organa approached Padmé Amidala later after dinner. "Padmé, I know how you feel, but don't take what Senator Papanoida said seriously. I actually find joy in children, even if they do cause trouble."<p>

"Thank you, Bail," she replied. "But that doesn't make me feel any better."

"Have you ever had experiences with children?"

Padmé was surprised by his question. "Why, actually, I do. My sister Sola has two _adorable_ little girls. Whenever I get the chance to see them, they run at me and hug me as hard as they can, and they always have these little homemade gifts for me." Then she laughed as she remembered. "Once, the youngest, Pooja, tried to cook for me. The food was terrible! But when I took the first bite out of each course, she smiled so wide, I had to tell her it was delicious. Then she asked if I wanted seconds, and I said I couldn't eat another bite. But that evening while she was taking a nap, we all snuck out on her and went to a professional restaurant, where I finished _four_ courses in less than half an hour!"

Both Senators laughed. When they had finished, Padmé said "I guess I've been so jealous of Sola that I've become obsessed with children. When I think about it, children are more of a reward than a hassle."

Bail smiled. "Then you have nothing to be afraid of. You just need to get up in the morning, hold your ground through the day, and remember your reward in the end."

"That's good advice, Bail. I'll keep that in mind. Tell Breha that I wish her the best of luck. I owe you both more than I have."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker sat in the Jedi Council Chamber, trying to keep his senses open in case Aurra Sing threatened him or the Younglings in the room. The Younglings were talking to each other again, but they weren't so scared now that there was a Jedi Knight protecting them.<p>

The other Younglings seemed to look up to the boy called Luke. When asked why he had such an unusual name, he replied:

"I was named after my grandfather. Overnight, he became a war hero, and freed his people from oppression. My parents must have thought I would become a hero if I had his name. Everyone on my home planet thinks a Jedi named Luke would be the end of evil."

Anakin thought Luke's story was interesting, but he didn't think a person's name shaped their identity. And yet, he already seemed like a leader. The Younglings respected him, looked to him for guidance, and he was the bravest of all of them.

"What are you doing, Master Skywalker?" asked one of the Younglings.

"I'm trying to sense for Aurra in case she comes back. You don't need to worry. We're safe here."

* * *

><p>Plo Koon and Yoda had ordered that the Jedi Temple be placed on lockdown. They didn't want Aurra Sing to escape – or call in reinforcements. They had also found other Jedi and warned them of the situation. If Aurra was still in the temple, they would find her.<p>

But they didn't know that Aurra had hidden several thermal detonators full of toxic gas in strategic locations throughout the temple. They were in the communications center, the command spire, the Archive library, the various meditation rooms, and in the main hallways. She had also placed one in the Jedi Council Chamber before her escape from Anakin Skywalker.

In a few moments, they would all go off simultaneously, and all of the Jedi in those rooms would be unconscious and vulnerable.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker didn't sense Aurra anywhere, but he could sense that the Younglings were worried and sad. At first, Anakin wanted to say that everything was fine, but he thought better of it, figuring it wouldn't help. He decided he would try to cheer them up. As a matter of fact, he did have an idea to entertain them.<p>

"Younglings, can you show me your training lightsabers?" he asked. The Younglings were confused. What would he want with their weapons? They might need them later. "It's all right," he assured them, "Aurra's gone, and I'm not going to pull any tricks on you."

After a second's hesitation, Luke presented his training lightsaber, which was smaller and much less lethal. The other children followed suit and held out their own lightsabers. To their astonishment, the cylinders flew from their grip to hover over Anakin. Then, one at a time, he let them drop into his hands, and immediately tossed them up again to catch another saber.

At first the Younglings stared in awe as he juggled the five weapons, then they began to laugh and cheer as Anakin juggled the sabers under one leg, using one hand, and while balancing on one of them. Finally, he lost his balance and crashed to the ground, scattering the lightsabers throughout the chamber. Despite themselves, the Younglings continued to laugh.

Anakin stood up and brushed himself off. Then he walked around the chamber, picking up the lightsabers. He crouched down behind one chair to pick up the last one, but then he noticed something else. It was a small, spherical device, and it was beeping softly while blinking a red light. When the beeping quickened, he jumped up.

"Bomb!" He used the Force to push all of the Younglings out the doors and ran to open the lift door, even though he hadn't called for it. "Hold on!"

He grabbed the Younglings and jumped down the shaft just as the thermal detonator exploded in the chamber above.

* * *

><p>Plo Koon was walking down the hallway when Aurra Sing's thermal detonators went off. There was a sickening moment in which he was surrounded by blinding smoke and a deafening explosion. And then it was over.<p>

Plo wasn't sure if he was alive or dead. But when he saw the stone pillars of the Jedi Temple beyond the strange-looking smoke, he realized that the detonators had been loaded with toxic gas instead of explosives. He was not affected by this gas, but Aurra may have set off bombs in other locations in addition to the hallway, and many other Jedi may have fallen into her trap.

He knew he had to find her, and that the gas prevented her from going anywhere. She had fallen into her own trap. His search was now limited to the areas clear of smoke.

* * *

><p>The Younglings screamed the whole way down the lift shaft with their arms and legs outstretched. They were afraid of crashing to the ground and dying. But Anakin Skywalker knew better than that, for he was a Jedi. He straightened his body and held his arms to his side and his legs locked together, thus giving him the appearance of a diver. He began to fall faster than the Younglings because he now had less air resistance.<p>

By the time he saw the bottom of the shaft, he was now several meters ahead of the Younglings. When he was mere meters from hitting the ground, he used the Force to cushion his fall, and when he landed he used the Force to slow the Younglings and set them safely on the ground.

They were still shaken from the fall, but Anakin joked "If you liked this, you'll have a lot of fun jumping off of starships. Only that's later in your training. Sorry."

"That's good," breathed Luke. "Thanks for saving us."

"No problem!" replied Anakin. "Except that the Council Chamber isn't safe anymore. So we're going to have to find another place to hide."

Anakin jumped to the next floor of the Jedi Temple, and used the Force to help the Younglings up. When they got to the main hallway, they saw that it was shrouded in smoke, meaning Aurra must have put thermal detonators in other places.

Anakin activated his comlink and called Plo Koon to make sure he was safe. "Master Plo, are you all right? Come in."

Plo's voice responded "Yes, I'm fine. Thankfully, my mask protects me from the gas. Are you and the Younglings still in the Council Chamber?"

"No," replied Anakin. "There was a bomb up there, too, so I had to get everyone out. But we're all fine. We're going to find another place to hide."

"Could we hide in the library?" asked Luke.

"No, I think Aurra may have set a bomb there."

"Wait!" exclaimed Plo. "The safest places in the Temple are the archive vaults in the library!"

"Of course!" Anakin gave Luke an impressed look. "Only Jedi Masters have access to the vaults. That sounds like a perfect place to hide, but we'll need your help to get in."

"I'm on my way. Be careful."

* * *

><p>As Padmé Amidala was walking through the halls of the Senate Office Building, going to her speeder, she overheard loud and angry voices coming from one of the offices.<p>

"You think you're so powerful because you have access to so much money!" Padmé recognized the voice of Lot Dodd, Neimoidian senator for the Trade Federation.

"If we're going to pass this bill, you need to realize the Senate is only borrowing money." This time it was Nix Card of the Banking Clan from Muunilist.

"I believe you boys are forgetting that _I'm_ the one providing the Republic with the clones." said Halle Burtoni of Kamino.

Padmé rolled her eyes. This particular group of Senators was quite a nuisance to her causes. The Trade Federation, Banking Clan, and Kamino were the three main organizations who profited from the war. The clone troopers were bred on Kamino, and the warships and weapons they used were manufactured by the Trade Federation, who also supplied the Separatists with most of their army. And to pay these expenses, both sides had to borrow money from the Intergalactic Banking Clan.

All three organizations were neutral in the war, but they often sabotaged both sides so they would continue fighting – and paying. All of Padmé's anti-war legislations were greatly opposed by these three Senators, and she greatly opposed their pro-war legislations.

"All I'm saying" continued Lot Dodd "is that the Senate may not like the idea of bringing their children into this mess."

Padmé was surprised and angry at the same time. _They_ were behind this bill!

"The Senate doesn't care about children, Lot," replied Nix Card. "We've already convinced them to cut back on public works."

"Besides," interrupted Halle Burtoni, "do we really need to spend so much money on education, childcare, and insurance?" she laughed. "Dear me, no!"

"It sounds as though you don't want this bill to pass."

"Of course, I do!" exclaimed Lot. "If this bill passes, the Republic will save so much money it can pay off its debt to you, Senator Card, and still have money left over for ourselves!"

"And the people will be so frightened, they won't have any more children and perhaps even leave the Republic, thus lowering the population and saving even more money!"

"It will take time," said Halle, "but as long as the war continues, we will be the wealthiest beings in the galaxy, and Senator Amidala and her insignificant little band will never be able to show their faces in the Republic ever again!"

Now Padmé was once more afraid of having children. The average families would be ruined, but the family of a Senator and a Jedi? She couldn't even comprehend what could happen. She _had_ to defeat this bill. She _had _to, for the sakes of herself, Anakin Skywalker, and their children.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker and the Younglings walked to the Archive library as fast as they could. Anakin had to use the Force to push smoke out of their way every few seconds, and he wouldn't lead the children single file, for fear of Aurra popping up and attacking them, so the path had to be wider. But they made it without any encounters with Aurra Sing.<p>

Plo Koon arrived at the same time to let them into a vault. "Did you find Aurra?" he asked.

Anakin shook his head. "No. Did you?"

"She's close. We must be cautious." He waved his hand in front of the lock, which rotated and opened the door.

As soon as the door opened, everyone was frightened to see Aurra standing on the other side, sniper rifle in hand. And before anyone could react, she fired a red bolt…

…which burned right through Luke's chest!

The next few seconds seemed to slow down to Anakin. He remembered screaming "No!" and catching Luke as he fell over. The other Younglings began crying watching their friend in pain. Luke breathed heavily and stared at Anakin for a few seconds, then his head lolled backward and his unseeing eyes stared at the ceiling.

Anakin was struck dumb. How could he have been so careless? He should have told the Younglings to stay on either side of the door until he knew it was safe. And now Luke was dead, and it was his fault.

Then his grief turned to anger as he turned to Aurra and stood up. As she fired another shot, Anakin whipped out his lightsaber and deflected the bolt back at Aurra which she ducked to avoid. While she was crouched, Anakin sliced through the barrel of her rifle and used the Force to push her against a bookshelf.

As books rained down on her, Anakin and Plo both advanced on her with their weapons in hand. "You're going to pay for that, bounty hunter!" growled Anakin.

"Surrender!" ordered Plo.

Aurra, however, merely laughed. "Are you kidding? This is the perfect time to use these." She pulled out two of the lightsabers she had stolen from her Jedi victims and ignited them.

Aurra rushed at her opponents with both lightsabers held over her head, then brought them down on the Jedi's blades. Anakin jumped backward and twirled around as he swung at Aurra. She blocked the swing with both lightsabers and then swung one of them behind her back at Plo, who ducked and stabbed at Aurra, forcing her to jump backwards.

Then Anakin advanced on her himself, driving her backwards as she blocked his attacks with one lightsaber, and attacking with the other. Then she kicked Anakin in the head, knocking his lightsaber out of his hand as he fell over.

But Plo caught the lightsaber so he could fight Aurra's two with two. They both swung with both their blades in opposite places, and blocked each swing with ease.

When all of their blades were locked against each other, Aurra laughed. "Do you really think you can defeat me, Jedi?"

"You're Jedi lightsaber training served you well," replied Plo. "But being able to use a blade does not matter if you do not know the rules."

Aurra sneered and rushed at Plo. But behind her, Anakin stood up and used the Force to knock her off-balance. The bounty hunter tripped and fell. While she was collecting herself, Anakin used the Force to take her lightsabers.

Aurra found herself cornered by two Jedi with four lightsabers in front of her only exit. She was trapped!

"It's over, Aurra," said Anakin. "You're under arrest."

Aurra thought for a second and smiled. "Oh, I'm not finished yet." The Jedi couldn't see, but she was holding another thermal detonator behind her back. Then she quickly rolled it at the Jedi.

But to her surprise, the bomb wasn't there! She looked around desperately for it, and when she turned around, she saw Master Yoda holding it with the Force, mere centimeters in front of her. Before she could react, it exploded.

Aurra was consumed by smoke and everyone heard her coughing, and then suddenly falling quiet. Yoda used the Force to part the smoke and reveal Aurra's unconscious body.

Anakin sighed in relief. "Thank you, Master Yoda. But how did you get here?"

"Followed her through the vents, I did. Fought well, you have. And the Younglings, safe, they are?"

To answer his question, the four Younglings walked in; still shaken from the fright they received. Then Anakin remembered, and went to pick up Luke's body. He kneeled down in front of Yoda so he could see. "It's my fault. I wasn't careful enough. I should have been quicker."

Yoda shook his head. "Hmmm. You're fault, it was not. Saved the other Younglings, you have, and protected them. Mourn Luke, you may, but know this: proven yourself to be a true Jedi, you have today."

Anakin thought about what Padmé had said about him being a great father. He _was_ able to save the Younglings – mostly – and he had grown to care for them, and he abandoned a battle to protect them. Perhaps she was right! "I actually have to be somewhere else right now."

"We will take care of Aurra," assured Plo. "You have done the Jedi Order a great service."

The four Younglings stepped forward and bowed. "May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker."

Anakin smiled at them and bowed back. "May the Force be with you, Younglings."

With that, Anakin walked away proud and tall.

* * *

><p>Padmé returned to her apartment late that night. She had had a long day and needed rest. She went into her closet and changed into her nightgown. She knew Anakin would be back soon and she didn't think now was the best time for an argument.<p>

Just as she settled into bed, Anakin came into the bedroom. Padmé hoped he would think she was asleep. But when he exclaimed "Padmé!" she groaned and got up, ready to hear what he had to say. "I went to the Temple to meditate and… well, it's a long story. But I realized, maybe I could be a good father."

Padmé sighed. "Actually, Anakin, I've come to realize that having children will be more trouble than I thought, and the outcome of their lives depends on us. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun."

Anakin laughed. "Well, what do you know? We both come home with each other's opinion!"

Padmé smiled in disbelief. "Are you saying you _do_ want to have children after all?"

Anakin smiled in embarrassment and said "Yeah. I really do." He and Padmé held each other in their arms. "By the way," put in Anakin, "what was that girl's name you were thinking about?"

"Leia. It's such a beautiful name. I hope she will grow up to be kind and beautiful as well."

"I actually have a boy's name in mind. It's a name that will make him a hero."

"What is it?"

"Luke. Luke Skywalker."


	2. Supply In Demand

Supply in Demand (Ep. #2, Prod. #4)

* * *

><p>An unending struggle reaches new ground as the Republic and Separatist forces compete for supplies for their armies! With limited resources, the war brings more death and destruction, and even innocent lives have become threatened by this conflict.<p>

On the starving planet of Gederon, Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have defeated the Separatist forces, and have sent ships to pick up supplies at a remote medical station. But the droid leader, General Grievous, has dispatched Separatist ships to raid the station, and claim its bounty….

* * *

><p>Gederon was a little-known planet in the Outer Rim. It was sparsely populated; most of the planet was a hot desert half of the year, and frozen tundra the other. Where the Gederonians did settle, it was a tropical rainforest abundant in mineral deposits. But the recent battle had torn down much of the rainforest and collapsed several mines.<p>

That's why Obi-Wan Kenobi had sent Anakin Skywalker to the medical base at Ord Cestus to pick up extra supplies for the people. While Anakin was gone, Obi-Wan had to clean up. Most of the time, he was a very neat and clean person, but Anakin, on the other hand…

"Leave it to Anakin to organize an unauthorized bombing raid and leave us to clean up after it," he commented to his second-in-command, clone Commander Cody.

"Well, his job will be just as difficult," replied Cody. "The Separatists seem to be trying to steal all of our supplies for some reason."

"Yes," agreed Obi-Wan. "What would they want with so much they can't use? It's not like the droids need food and first aid."

"We'll find out soon enough."

* * *

><p>"Leave it to Obi-Wan to send me on errands when I win the battle," said Anakin to <em>his<em> second-in-command, clone Captain Rex.

"Well, his job will be just as difficult," replied Rex.

They were flying a _Consular_-class light cruiser through hyperspace to Ord Cestus. These frigates had once been used for diplomatic missions, but upon the start of the Clone Wars, they were refitted with four turbolaser turrets for battle. Anakin didn't believe he would have to use them, though.

But when they arrived at the medical station, he realized he was wrong.

He saw that there were _Munificent_-class Separatist frigates surrounding the station, with _Droch_-class boarding ships plowing into the station! These ships were small, but they had four mechanical pincer arms that could either latch onto escape pods and break them open, or plow through the hulls of larger ships and release dozens of battle droids stored inside!

"Then again," said Anakin, "I think _we_ have it harder now!"

* * *

><p>Admiral Don Dain was a Separatist military leader. His knowledge of machines and piloting skills had proven valuable to Count Dooku, who allowed this young adult to lead a droid fleet in space. Being a Gran Malastare, he was a little shorter than most beings and had orange skin and three large, protruding eyes.<p>

He was in charge of preventing the Republic from delivering supplies to Gederon. With the fall of Gederon, the Separatists would gain access to its food and minerals, and the Jedi wouldn't be able to sustain their army.

He watched as the boarding ships tore the medical station apart, surprised by the ease of the mission. But he knew eventually a Jedi would come to stop him. That's why he wasn't surprised by the arrival of the Republic Frigate.

"Uh, sir?" said a battle droid pilot, "A small Republic ship has just come out of hyperspace. Should we attack?"

"No," replied Dain. "Continue to attack the station. I want to see how clever these Jedi are."

"Roger, roger."

Dain was annoyed by these battle droids. They were cheaper and quicker, but they were stupid. Given his way, he would have used living beings to create the army, like the clones. He personally had no desire to destroy the Republic, but he felt it needed to be reformed. That's why he chose to serve the Separatists; they promised a new, better government. If the Republic was ever reformed, he would gladly rejoin it.

He kept his eyes on the Jedi ship as its lasers fired at the vulture droids and boarding ships.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker was flying the ship through the battlefield while clone troopers manned the turrets. It wasn't easy dodging all of the lasers, but Anakin was one of the best pilots in the galaxy.<p>

"What do we do now, sir?" asked Rex.

"We're going to complete the mission," replied Anakin. "We're going to land in the station and fight our way out!"

"But the shields are up! We can't get inside."

Anakin smiled. "Not _that_ way." He had spoken in a voice Rex knew meant he was planning something crazy.

He was. He suddenly turned the ship upside-down, knocking everyone and everything over onto the ceiling. Then he flew towards the central spire that extended down below the station. At first, it looked like they were going to crash, but then at the last minute, Anakin jerked the ship upward and slowed it. He extended the magnetic landing gear and set down gently on the underside of the station's main disk-shaped section.

Rex relaxed and sighed in relief. "That was fun. Now what?"

Anakin let go of the chair and flipped over so that he fell on his feet. "Tell the men to seal their suits." He walked to a nearby cabinet that contained space suits and began to put one on. "And put on jetpacks. We're going for a little spacewalk."

* * *

><p>Don Dain was surprised that the Jedi had seemingly disappeared. But he knew better. In fact, now he knew more. Only one Jedi was reckless enough to pull off such a stunt. Anakin Skywalker. He was famous for becoming the only human podracing champion when he was only nine. One could also expect a fight if they ever saw General Skywalker.<p>

Dain figured there was only one reason Skywalker would try to hide. He wanted to trick the Separatists so he could enter the station. That thought gave him an idea for another test. He opened the comlink channel that all of the droids in the station were tuned into. "Attention, all droids. There has been a change of plans. Take all the supply boxes you find and stack them on top of the main garbage chute. Wait for a Jedi to come and engage you and have a droid stationed in the control room. If the Jedi destroys more than half of you, that droid in the control room must open all garbage chutes."

* * *

><p>When Anakin and all of the clones were ready, he extended the boarding ramp and they all began to climb up the ship with their magnetic boots. Then they stepped onto the station's body and walked along it. Because the station was so big, it took a long time, but they finally made it onto the top of the "disk"…<p>

And into the view of Don Dain!

"Ah, there he is," said Dain. Then he thought some more and decided to make another test. He activated his comlink again and said "There are a Jedi and several clones climbing on the side of the station. Kill them."

Soon, vulture droids and droid tri-fighters began to turn from the battle and fly at Anakin. Then they opened fire. The clones tried to dodge the blasts, but one of them wasn't quick enough. He was killed by a blaster bolt, and his body floated away. Anakin ignited his lightsaber and deflected the shots within his reach, while the clones all took out their blasters and fired at the ships.

As the droids neared the station they turned away so they could come back for another run. But one vulture droid didn't turn in time and was caught by Anakin using the Force. He drew the fighter closer to him and used his lightsaber to cut off the head and four needle-like wings and throw all six pieces out into space at the other fighters, causing some of them to explode.

* * *

><p>Dain watched the battle with interest. "Hmmm. Most impressive, Skywalker." Then his comlink beeped with a green light, meaning the droids on the station had captured the supplies.<p>

This was good news. Perhaps he didn't even need his test for Skywalker anymore, and he could take the supplies and kill the Jedi. But Don Dain wasn't a murderer. That's why he creates these tests, so he wouldn't have to kill anyone he didn't need to. He decided to continue with his plan.

Let Skywalker fall into the trap.

* * *

><p>Anakin and the clones had continued to climb the station until they reached one of the boarding ships lodged in the hull. Anakin used his lightsaber to cut a hole in a ship that they could climb into. "All right, everyone in."<p>

One by one, each clone climbed in through the hole and out through the hatch at the front. They had gotten into the station. "Nice work, men. Mission accomplished," complimented Anakin.

"Uh, but sir?" stammered Rex. "We haven't found the supplies yet."

"Well, let's start in the supply bay." Anakin led them down the hall until they reached the room they were looking for. Rex and another clone stood at either side of the door, blasters in hand, in case there were still any droids inside. But when the door opened, they saw that the room was empty.

There were no supplies.

Rex sighed. "We're too late. The clankers beat us this time."

"No," said Anakin. "I sense the supplies are still in the station. Somewhere." He walked back out into the hallway and closed his eyes, trying to meditate. He knew that if he focused hard enough, he would be able to know what's on the other sides of walls and doors. He scanned the area, but could sense no supplies. But he found something interesting.

"Here's something odd. I sense that all of the droids in the station are moving down the east hallway on level one. They're going to the main garbage room!"

"Why would they go there?" asked a clone. "What would they want with trash?"

"They want to get rid of the supplies," explained Rex. "That way we don't get them."

"Exactly," said Anakin. "Now, let's move!"

* * *

><p>Don Dain had hacked into the station's speaker system. That way, he could hear what the Jedi and clones were saying. So he knew that they had solved the puzzle. Now he had to make things more difficult. So he contacted the battle droids stationed in the control room. "The Jedi are headed to the garbage room. Deactivate all elevators in exactly 60 seconds. That way they'll be trapped."<p>

"Roger, roger," said the droids.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker and the clones finally reached the elevator. They all got in and Anakin pushed the button to go to level one. But a few seconds after the elevator started, it suddenly stopped! Anakin stumbled and said, "Did anyone push the stop button?"<p>

The clones all shook their heads no.

Anakin sighed. "Well, there's more than one way out of here." He activated his lightsaber and began to cut a hole in the ceiling.

"But sir," said Rex. "Don't we want to go down?"

"Yes, but sometimes going down…" he finished the hole and the circular piece of metal fell to the floor with a clang. Then Anakin jumped up through the hole and landed on top of the elevator. "…means going up first." As soon as he finished his sentence he cut all of the wires holding the elevator up, and the whole thing came plummeting down.

All of the clones screamed as they neared their fate. Anakin, however, had jumped at the last second and was freefalling far above the elevator without fear. As they neared the first floor, Anakin used the Force to slow the elevator so that it came gently to rest. He landed in the elevator amidst the clones fallen on the floor. Then he used his lightsaber to cut through the door. Outside was level one.

"Come on, men," he said encouragingly, "Let's move out!"

Rex groaned as he stood up. "Please don't do that again, sir."

Anakin sighed in mock disappointment. "Well, if you say so…."

They all ran towards the garbage room, but just before they reached the door, Anakin stopped them. He used the Force to throw open the door and somersaulted into the room with his lightsaber ignited. When the clones heard blasterfire, they ran in after him, weapons in hand.

All of the supplies were piled in the middle of the room, and were being surrounded by about thirty battle droids. The clones all took cover behind some crates and exchanged fire with the droids, while Anakin deflected some of the shots with his lightsaber. One clone stood up to unleash a volley of shots, but he had blown his cover and was shot in the head by one of the droids.

* * *

><p>Don Dain watched through his viewscreen as Skywalker and the clones slowly destroyed each battle droid. It soon became clear that the Jedi was going to win. Apparently, he was cleverer than Dain thought. It was time for step 2. He pressed the button on his comlink and said "Droids, open the garbage chute."<p>

* * *

><p>The floor underneath the stacks of supplies slowly slid apart and all of the boxes fell down the chute. As the chute doors slowly began to close, Anakin leapt up and dove in. A clone turned to Captain Rex and asked "What do we do now, sir?"<p>

"Follow the General!" ordered Rex, running out and jumping into the chute. The other clones followed one by one. However, the chute doors closed on one of them and the poor clone was crushed to death.

They all fell down the long chute, nearing the incinerator! But Anakin activated his lightsaber and stabbed it into the wall, slicing through it and slowing his fall. The chute's sensors realized there was something inside of it that would damage it. So, as programmed, the incinerator turned itself off, and the crates, clones, and Jedi all landed safely on solid ground.

Then several panels of the wall opened, exposing the chute to outer space. Everything inside of it was sucked out by the vacuum, and when the chute was clear, the panels closed and the incinerator started up again.

Anakin and the clones were still wearing their suits, so they were protected from the vacuum. Rex sighed in relief. "That was too close. So now what do we do, sir?"

Anakin replied "Load all of the supplies onto the ship. We need to get them back to Gederon." With that, he began to use the Force to pull boxes towards him and move them towards the _Consular_-class frigate, which was still attached to the station. Rex activated his jet pack and carried some crates to the ship, and the clones followed. Pretty soon, all of the supplies were loaded and everyone was back inside the ship.

"Well done, gents," commented Rex. "It's time to go home."

Anakin sat in the pilot's seat and began throwing switches. "I'm activating the hyperdrive. Strap yourselves in." There was a low humming sound as the hyperdrive started up. Once it was activated they would jump to light speed, and the Separatists couldn't do anything to stop them.

Suddenly, the entire ship shook. Then it began moving! "We're caught in the enemy's tractor beam!" Anakin knew that once a ship was caught in a tractor beam, there was no way to escape. "I'm going to have to shut everything down. We'll have to fight some more." He began throwing switches again to shut down the ship.

Rex noticed that there was one thing still active. "The hyperdrive! We can't shut it down!" If the hyperdrive activated while they were in the tractor beam, it would burn out and the ship would be destroyed!

But then the shaking stopped. For some reason, the enemy was letting them go! Before they could question why, the ship went into hyperspace… in the opposite direction!

* * *

><p>Don Dain chuckled to himself for his success. The Jedi's "escape" was actually part of his plan. If Skywalker was clever enough to escape the garbage chute, he would round up all of the supplies and put them on the same small ship. Once the cruiser's scanners indicated the hyperdrive being activated, Dain used the tractor beam to move the ship so it went to another system.<p>

Now all he had to do was to go after them and fetch the supplies. There was no way the Jedi would survive _this_ time. "Captain, set your course for the Hoth system."

* * *

><p>"Find a way to shut off the hyperdrive!" ordered Anakin.<p>

"I don't know if there is a way," said one of the clone engineers. "Our best bet would be to shut off all of the ship's power."

"Would we be able to get the power back on?"

"Most likely."

Anakin thought. If they shut off the power, would the life support systems die? And what if the engines burned out or the cabin pressure changed too much? He decided to try it. "Shut off as many individual systems as you can, then prepare to throw the main switch," he ordered. Then he added "I'm taking an awful risk, men. This had better work."

After all of the individual systems shut down, Anakin went back to the engineering station and unlocked the lever on the wall. "It's now or never," he reminded himself. Then he pulled the switch.

The entire ship lurched forward and everyone was thrown off their feet. When Anakin looked out the window, the streaks of light were replaced by stars. They were out of hyperspace! But now came the trickier part; turning the power back on. He tried to reach for the switch, but he couldn't get up. All of the other clones were pinned down as well. The switch must have triggered the cabin's atmospheric conditioners!

Anakin tried the last option he could think of; to use the Force to throw the switch. However, the current predicament made it hard for him to relax and concentrate fully. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind of everything. He reached out with his senses to grab the switch. Slowly, it began to move. Anakin continued to concentrate until the lever was all the way in the "on" position.

The power came back on and everyone was released from their invisible bonds. Anakin stood up and dusted himself off. "Excellent work, troops. Now let's get that hyperdrive fixed so we can go home."

No sooner than he said that the ship shuddered and the engines sputtered and died. "The engines are dead!" announced the clone at the engineering station.

Anakin sighed in exasperation. "There's always something." He ordered, "Send out a distress signal! We need someone to pick us up. Where are we, anyway?"

The clone studied his readouts and replied "We're in the Hoth system. We're set to crash on an icy planet."

Anakin looked out the window. Sure enough, there was the planet Hoth, a great big white ball in the Outer Rim. This planet was too cold to support civilizations, but was instead home to smelly tauntauns and carnivorous wampas. The surface of the planet was solid ice and the only precipitation was blizzards. If any planet was uninhabitable, it was Hoth.

"Brace yourselves!" said Rex. "This ride could get kind of bumpy."

As the ship began to enter the atmosphere, it began to shake, and the friction of the air caused fire to erupt around it. Small pieces of metal began breaking off and flying away. Finally, the ship bounced off the ice and slid through the snow. It slowed and came to rest at the bottom of a cliff.

Slowly, the ship's occupants stood up. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. The ship, on the other hand…

"Well," sighed Anakin in frustration, "No way are we getting home on _this_."

The clone at the engineering station push buttons in a dire effort to see something still work, but confessed "So much for the homing beacon. It looks like we're stuck here."

Anakin began to don his hooded Jedi cloak. There was only one reason for that. "I'm going out there. Someone's bound to have a ship."

Rex was skeptical. "But, uh, sir? This planet is deserted. We're the only ones here."

"Nope, this is the perfect type of place for smugglers or pirates to hide out."

"Ah, of course!" exclaimed Rex in mock excitement. "Pirates! What a wonderful idea! Oh, I love _this_ place."

* * *

><p>The Separatist cruiser arrived not too long after that. Don Dain chuckled in delight. "I almost feel sorry for the Jedi trapped on that planet, with such savage monsters hungry for new prey!"<p>

The battle droid pilot pulled up the readouts of the planet. "Our scans show that there is a large metal object lying at the bottom of a cliff with several life-forms around it. And there are many larger life-forms moving towards the first ones."

Dain chuckled again. "Fill a cargo shuttle with twenty super droids and have them land near the Jedi. After the wampas attack, let's see how well he'll last against us. Once he's dead, we can take the supplies back to General Grievous."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker surveyed the planet. He was hoping there would be someone to help him, though by the bleakness of the landscape, he doubted it. And if there really was someone out there, what are the chances they would want to help a Jedi? Obi-Wan Kenobi always stressed that terror is not a weapon the Jedi use. But Anakin almost always achieved his goals when he used terror (though he refrained to tell Obi-Wan of his methods).<p>

It made no difference, however, because the clone sentries and their scanners indicated that there were no metal objects within twenty kilometers. The scanners did pick up a snowstorm headed their way, which they estimated would arrive in less than two hours. But so far, there was no sign of any creatures.

"I got a bad feeling about this," said Anakin.

Suddenly, there was a loud, ear-splitting roar as a wampa rose over the hill. Nearly two meters tall with long white fur and two horns extending down over its face, the wampa's most distinguishing features were its sharp fangs and claws. Before the clones could react, the wampa picked up one of the troopers with one hand and threw him into the cliff.

The creature was quickly gunned down, but was also quickly followed by more wampas. Soon there were about twenty of them punching and throwing the clones. Anakin ignited his lightsaber and ran around, slicing through the wampas one by one. But as more clones were killed, more wampas were attacking the clones that were left. Captain Rex soon found himself cornered by three creatures and armed with only two blaster pistols. He knew that if he shot two, the last one would pounce.

But Anakin used the Force to lift two of the wampas and throw them, giving Rex the opportunity he needed to shoot the last one. With the last wampas dead, Anakin looked around and counted the number of clones remaining.

There were only three, including Rex.

"Nice work," said Anakin encouragingly. Though everyone knew they still had no way to get back to Gederon. "We'll just have to travel on foot until we find someone. Load up some supplies for the…" He never finished his sentence. He saw that the ship had been broken into and ransacked.

The supplies had been stolen!

* * *

><p>Several swoop bikes rushed across the Hoth landscape. Their cargo: several crates containing supplies. Their passengers: Weequay pirates. Their leader: Hondo Ohnaka! The Weequay were humanoid, but distinguished by their brown, leathery skin. Hondo himself wore a red overcoat stolen from a nobleman. Hondo was a fearsome and ill-humored smuggler who led a band of forty pirates in their planet-hopping campaigns. When they weren't drinking and fighting in their stolen stronghold on Florrum, they were traveling across the galaxy looking for ways to earn profit.<p>

Hondo had once tricked the Separatist leader and Sith lord Count Dooku into a trap by "rescuing" him from being stranded on the gundark-inhabited Vanqor and bringing him to Florrum, where Hondo stole his lightsaber and held the Count for ransom. The Jedi had sent Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to collect the Sith Lord, but they too were tricked by the pirates and held for ransom. Only the clumsy intervention of Representative Jar Jar Binks had saved them.

Since then, Hondo has been sabotaging the Jedi's war efforts for personal gain. Such examples include stealing supplies from a Republic ship while the Jedi were distracted fighting wampas. If the Jedi were wiser, they wouldn't have let the ship out of their sights! Perhaps they are vulnerable after all.

Hondo led the pirates back to their saucer-shaped pirate ship that doubled as a camp. His pet Kowakian monkey lizard, Pilf Mukmuk, jumped up onto his shoulder like a parrot. Pilf was very good at causing mischief and stealing shiny objects from under everyone's noses. "Well, boys!" Hondo announced, "Look what we have here; an entire cruiser-load of Republic supplies!"

At this news, the pirates cheered. Some of them picked up crates and began to carry them onto the ship. But they stopped in their tracks when Hondo yelled "Wait, wait, wait! What are you doing? We can't just take them without a profit! Oh, no, no, these crates are worth something. Much more than the dead weight we got on board!" The pirates murmured in agreement. "So," Hondo clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "What say we lose the dead weight and make some money? Huh?"

* * *

><p>Anakin, Rex, and the two other clones examined the tracks left by whoever stole the supplies. There was a small clearing just beyond the crash site where there were several large prints in the snow. These prints were shaped oddly with a circle perhaps a quarter of a meter in diameter at the front, with a large rectangle a little ways behind, and two small squares on either side at the back end of the rectangle.<p>

"These look like speeder bikes," observed Anakin.

"Sir, there are footprints leading to and from the bikes and the ship several times," pointed out one of the clones. "They look like human prints. About the same size as ours."

"Well, I didn't expect a bunch of kids to pull this off," joked Rex. "Which way do you think they came from?"

"Uh, it looks like the bikes landed facing the ship," hypothesized Anakin. "So they might have been travelling in that direction. So maybe if we go in the opposite direction, we might see where they came from."

"How are we going to get the supplies back and get off the planet? Through… General Kenobi's way?" asked Rex nervously.

Anakin sighed. "Well, I, uh, guess negotiation is supposed to be the Jedi way, so, we can try that." He tossed his lightsaber into the air and caught it.

"We don't have any speeders," pointed out a clone.

"We don't need speeders," said Anakin. Then he pointed at four tauntauns grazing nearby.

"You have _got_ to be kidding!" Everyone knew that even though tauntauns could run fast on their two legs, they smelled horrible.

Anakin approached one of the creatures, holding out his hand. It began to bleat and buck. Then the Jedi used the Force to touch its mind, calming it. Soon he was close enough to pat its gray fur.

As Anakin began taming the other creatures, Rex turned to the clones and said "Make sure you have plenty of ammo. This'll be rough."

"Why do we need ammo if we're supposed to negotiate?" asked one clone.

Rex chuckled. This clone was obviously new to the 501st legion. "Because it's General _Skywalker_ who's doing the 'negotiating.'"

* * *

><p>The Separatist cargo shuttle resembled a Trade Federation <em>Sheathipede<em> shuttle, except the main body had been elongated to hold more cargo. Although at the moment, as the shuttle descended into the Hoth atmosphere, it carried twenty B2 super battle droids and Separatist admiral Don Dain. "There can be no mistakes this time," he told the droids. "This time, I want to make sure the job's done right."

But when they arrived at the crash site of the Republic cruiser, everything was gone; the Jedi, the clones, and the supplies. But seeing the tracks in the ground, Dain understood. There were speeder bikes involved, and people going to and from the wreckage. Someone had taken the supplies from right under the Jedi's nose.

There were also fresh tracks. These were fat and had three toes, and they had a long stride. Apparently, the Jedi had gone after the thieves on tauntauns. And unlike speeders, tauntauns left tracks to be followed.

* * *

><p>Four tauntauns strode quickly across the ice, with their four passengers on their backs; one Jedi and three clones. They had been riding in the direction from which the thieves came until their scanners picked up a signal. Captain Rex was watching his scanner every five seconds while trying to stay in line with Anakin Skywalker.<p>

Then a blotch of red appeared at the edge of the screen. "Sir! I'm picking up a signal to the east! It's metal."

"Then it can't be one of those things," said Anakin. He turned his tauntaun in the direction of the new signal and the clones followed. They were close!

* * *

><p>Hondo Ohnaka and his pirates had stacked the crates on the loading ramp of the pirate ship. That way, if the Jedi tried to double-cross them, the pirates could escape quickly with the supplies and live to fight another day. Now all they had to do was wait for them to come.<p>

And they did. Riding on the backs of tauntauns were a Jedi and three clone troopers. The pirates held their blasters at the ready while Hondo, with Pilf Mukmuk on his shoulder, approached the newcomers. As they Jedi dismounted his ride, Hondo laughed in surprise.

"Hey, boys! Look who it is! Skywalker!" He laughed again and gave Anakin Skywalker a pat on the back that nearly knocked him over.

"Nice to see you too, Hondo," he replied sarcastically. "Now where are my supplies?"

Hondo acted surprised. "Supplies? What supplies?"

Anakin growled and pointed at the crates on the ship. "_Those_ supplies!"

"What, those? Those aren't yours. And you wouldn't want them anyway. They're just full of frozen nunas and old rum."

The other pirates laughed. But Anakin wasn't amused.

"I've had enough of your tricks, Hondo. There's a starving planet out there waiting for relief, and all I ask is that you give us the supplies and a ride to Gederon. I'll pay you, but only if everything runs smoothly."

Hondo shook his head. "Oh, my friend, you make things sound so simple. If you're going to pay us, we won't cause any trouble. But what were you planning on paying me with?"

"Not Republic credits, I assume."

"Of course not! What would we do with Republic money?" He chuckled. "But I bet you were expecting me to say that. I actually have contacts within the black market on Coruscant. Unfortunately, we are a little low on credits. So, we'll help you out, but we want 10,000 credits in return."

"Ten thousand!" repeated Anakin angrily. "We could almost buy our own ship for that!"

"Yes, I suppose you could. But wait…" Hondo looked around. "I don't see any other ship! I hope you weren't planning on trying to fly _those_ things!" He pointed at the tauntauns and held his nose with one hand while waving his other hand in front of his face, pretending to blow away a bad smell. "You would probably stink even worse than you do now! Whoo!" All of the pirates laughed.

Anakin had reached his breaking point. He whipped out his lightsaber and pointed it at Hondo's neck, causing the other pirates to point their blasters at him. The clones, in turn, raised their own blasters.

Just then, they all heard a low rumbling. There was something large headed their way. Then, the rumbling stopped. Everyone looked around, but saw nothing through the fog. Then the fog was illuminated with red blaster fire. The Separatists had arrived!

* * *

><p>Anakin had never seen the pirates in battle, and never even thought they had the courage to fight in one. But they seemed very experienced as he watched them fighting the super battle droids. Some pirates were using the stack of crates as cover, while others were standing behind each other. Captain Rex and the other clones were also shooting, and even Hondo had drawn a blaster and joined the fight. So Anakin decided to use his lightsaber to help defend all of them.<p>

In addition to the twenty super battle droids, the Separatist admiral Don Dain had a blaster and shot at the first targets in his sight while standing behind the droids. Without any cover, and with several rapid-fire wrist blasters shooting at them, the clones and pirates were easy prey, and one by one they began to fall.

Then the four tauntauns, desperate to get away from the fighting ran right through the droids, knocking them over and temporarily distracting Dain. Anakin took advantage of the opportunity and used the Force to lift the snow and throw it at the admiral.

Once Dain had wiped the snow from his face, he scowled and fired several consecutive shots at the long-elusive Jedi. However, Anakin was able to deflect the bolts back towards their source, causing Dain to fall into the snow. He picked up his weapon out of the snow, but when he tried to fire it, he saw that the cartridge had been cracked and flooded with snow. He was now sprawled on the ground with no weapon, and a Jedi moving in for the kill.

"So – Skywalker, is it?" he began, "– you think you've won just because you've eluded me for too long?"

"No," replied Anakin, "I think I've won because after all this time, you've been too cowardly to face me yourself, and have wasted your resources to hold me off."

"You Jedi think you're so great, I decided to test your abilities. I must say you've lived up to my expectations so far."

Anakin yelled and brought down his lightsaber where his victim's heart was – or would have been if he hadn't rolled out of the way at the last minute. Instead, the lightsaber poked a hole in the ice so deep it penetrated the lowest solid layer. Water squirted up through the hole and splashed itself into Anakin's face.

Anakin yelled in pain as icy water hit his bare skin. Now _he_ was distracted, and Dain punched him in the face so hard he fell to the ground, moaning in agony. Dain put one foot on Anakin's chest, holding him down, and picked up the Jedi's lightsaber, holding it above his victim's head.

"_Now_ you disappoint me!" he laughed. "Count Dooku will reward me when he hears of this – when he finally hears of the end of the great Anakin Skywalker!" As he raised the lightsaber, Anakin's last thought was that Obi-Wan would not be happy to hear that he had lost his weapon again.

* * *

><p>This was the end. Anakin could feel it. He had been humbled by a Separatist admiral, who was about to strike him down with his own weapon. But then, to his surprise, Don Dain gasped and fell off of him as a red blaster bolt hit him squarely in the right shoulder. Anakin looked from the disabled admiral to the source of the blast. Hondo Ohnaka's blaster was smoking as he lowered it.<p>

Before Anakin could express his thanks, however, Hondo yelled "Well, don't just hang there! Get us out of here!" At his command, all of the survivors ran up the boarding ramp onto the pirate ship. Anakin ran after them, and had to use the Force to leap the rest of the way onto the declining ramp. Once he was on board, he saw that apart from him, only Hondo, Captain Rex, and a handful of pirates had escaped.

As the pirates rushed about in different directions, Anakin and Rex followed Hondo to the bridge. "Take off!" ordered Hondo impatiently. "Hurry!"

* * *

><p>Don Dain was left in pain. The blast hadn't killed him, but instead broke his right arm. He was able to use his left arm to force himself upright, just in time to see the pirate ship begin to take off!<p>

The six remaining super battle droids were shooting at the ship, hoping to destroy it before it took off. But Dain knew better. "Get back into the shuttle!" he ordered. He stood up, holding his broken arm with the other, and ran back into the cargo shuttle. The droids followed and the shuttle immediately took off – at the same time as the pirate ship.

Dain went to the ship's controls and activated the comlink, contacting his cruiser. "Captain, the Jedi has escaped with the supplies in a pirate ship! Do not let that ship escape until we get the supplies back!"

* * *

><p>The pirate saucer rose higher into the air until they at last reached orbit. But the relief was short-lived as they were met by a Separatist <em>Dreadnaught <em>cruiser! Immediately the cruiser opened fire and the pirate ship was rocked by explosions. Anakin couldn't see any way they could go into hyperspace; they were surrounded by the planet, the enemy cruiser, and…

"Asteroids!"

"Yeah, I see 'em!" replied the pilot. "We're trapped!"

Anakin took the controls and pulled the ship around – straight into the asteroid belt!

"What are you doing?" asked Hondo. "You're not actually going _into_ an asteroid field!"

"They'd be crazy to follow us, wouldn't they?" replied Anakin, sliding into the pilot's seat and flying through the space debris.

* * *

><p>The droid captain of the Separatist cruiser called its admiral. "Uh, sir? The Jedi has flown into an asteroid field. We can't possibly…"<p>

The transmission was cut off by Don Dain, who shoved the pilot of the shuttle off the chair and took the controls. He was determined to get back at Skywalker, even if he had to dodge a thousand asteroids.

* * *

><p>Anakin noticed the Separatist shuttle following him, and took to evasive maneuvers in an attempt to shake them. Several times, he heard the pirates screaming as he flew too close to some of the asteroids, and also when he used the ship's blasters to break some of them into smaller pieces that battered the two ships.<p>

"We'll get pulverized if we stay out here much longer!" yelled Hondo.

"I'm going to move closer to the bigger ones," replied Anakin.

"Closer?" repeated both Rex and Hondo.

Anakin pushed the throttle and the ship angled downward towards the largest asteroid. There was a narrow crevice ahead, and Anakin had to turn the ship sideways in order to get through. Once they were out, he leveled out, but saw that Dain had made it also.

"Lower the boarding ramp!" ordered Hondo.

"But the supplies are on the ramp!" exclaimed Rex. "The clankers will get them!"

"Exactly!" Hondo pushed a button and the boarding ramp lowered, dropping the supplies into a large sinkhole.

As expected, the shuttle turned away from the pirate ship and went after the falling crates. When they disappeared, Anakin turned to Hondo angrily. "Our agreement was that you'd only get paid if you cooperated! And now we've lost the supplies!"

"Your precious supplies are safely tucked into the cargo bay," replied Hondo coolly. "And now I'll take you to Gederon."

Anakin was dumbfounded. "But if those weren't the supplies, what was in those crates?"

* * *

><p>Don Dain was relieved to see that the sinkhole ended with something soft covering the ground. He landed the shuttle and put on an oxygen mask. As he and the super battle droids stepped out onto the surface, he felt a sense of excitement. He had finally outsmarted the Jedi!<p>

Or so he thought.

His relief turned to anger as he opened a crate and saw a frozen turkey-like nuna packed into it. One by one he opened the other crates and saw to his horror that they were all filled with either a frozen nuna or bottles of rum. The treacherous Jedi had escaped with the supplies!

"Curse you, Jedi!" His last word echoed so loudly the entire cave shook. He suddenly had a bad feeling. This was no cave. Instinctively, Dain ran through the crowd of droids into the shuttle. He took off and flew as fast as he could to the mouth of the cave – correction, the mouth of the giant space slug! He flew through the closing teeth and shot away from the creature. He had escaped!

Dain flew the shuttle back through the asteroid field and landed on his cruiser. There was a medical droid there that would heal his arm, but he didn't feel any better. He had failed General Grievous, and the Republic had the supplies. He thought about what Grievous would do to him, and cringed at the thought.

Then, of course, his fear turned to anger. This was all Skywalker's fault! After all this time, Dain had being using his tests to play with the Jedi, but now he had been repaid with treachery of astronomic proportions. But now he was determined. He would never test the Jedi again. He would make sure they were all silenced the moment they crossed his path. And his hatred for Skywalker himself would last for eternity.

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi was getting impatient. "Commander, are you sure there is no sign of General Skywalker anywhere?"<p>

"Yes, sir," replied Commander Cody. "We haven't received any communication from either him or the medical station. They should have checked in several hours ago."

Obi-Wan shook his head. If Anakin had taken a "detour" into another battle, he would be grounded in the Jedi Temple for months.

"Wait!" exclaimed Cody. "There's a ship coming!"

Obi-Wan looked in the direction Cody was pointing in. It was a pirate saucer, headed their way. The last thing he needed was a bunch of pirates getting in his way. But when the ship landed, and the boarding ramp extended, he was surprised to see Anakin and Captain Rex carrying some crates. "Where have you been? You're long overdue."

"Sorry, Master," replied Anakin. "We ran into some complications."

"What complications?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Right now, we've got a planet to feed, and supplies to unload."

As Anakin walked past with his crates, Obi-Wan shook his head in disapproval. He didn't think any story would save Anakin this time.


	3. Secrets of the Trees

Secrets of the Trees (Ep. #3, Prod. #1)

* * *

><p>General Grievous is loose! The fiendish cyborg has once again eluded the Jedi and is leading the Separatist droid army to victories over the clones. Desperate to defeat him, the Senate has issued a "Dead or Alive" warrant on Grievous, as more Jedi fall at his rusty hands.<p>

On the Wookiee planet Kashyyyk, Jedi Master Keelyvine Reus has engaged Grievous, and disappeared. Now, Jedi Masters Yoda, Mace Windu, and Ki-Adi Mundi prepare to follow Reus' distress beacon to Grievous' new base….

* * *

><p>The Jedi Temple on Coruscant had a large hanger capable of storing all kinds of ships used by the Republic, from speeders to fighters to shuttles. But in order to complete their mission, Mace Windu, Yoda, and Ki-Adi Mundi needed a ship that can carry troops and fight enemy fighters at the same time. That's why they had asked Anakin Skywalker to upgrade a <em>Nu<em>-Class shuttle for them to serve the desired purposes.

But as they approached Anakin, there was no such shuttle to be seen. Mace assumed the reckless young Jedi had disobeyed orders, as he commonly did. However, he knew that things usually turned out in the end. "Well, did you upgrade that shuttle like we _ordered_ you to?"

Despite his position, Anakin merely smiled and replied "No. I decided to lend you a ship I've been working on."

Ki-Adi looked around but only saw the occasional ships. "So, where is it?"

Anakin raised his fist and knocked on the air. But instead of hearing no sound at all, they heard metal being banged. Right next to the young Jedi, a ship began to appear. It resembled a Jedi interceptor, with a wing on either side of the cylindrical cockpit, but this was much larger. It obviously had the cloaking device Anakin had just shown off, but the cockpit at the back could seat two people and the wedged triangular hull in front seemed to double as a cargo bay. As for weaponry, there were two laser cannons on top of and underneath each of the mandibles in front of the wings, and the four opening solar wings concealed two rotating missile launchers.

Mace wasn't as impressed as Anakin had hoped. In a stern and almost angry voice he said "We told you to upgrade an existing ship, not slap some spare parts together and expect us to even make it to Kashyyyk."

"Ah, but this is no ordinary piece of junk. The J-16 Wampa Hunter can carry a platoon of clones along with a week's worth of supplies. Its cloaking device hasn't been perfected, but before you come out of hyperspace, you can engage it. You will have three hours to land and power down so it can recharge. I painted it green so it can blend into the forest."

"Anakin…" began Mace.

"The pilot can control the ship and the eight blasters," continued Anakin, "And the navigator can select targets on the radar screen and fire missiles at each one."

"Anakin…"

"Plus, if the ship is destroyed, the cockpit is jettisoned and can be flown like an escape pod."

"Anakin! Have you tested this thing to see if it works?"

"Well… I haven't taken it for a spin yet, but I have made sure all the systems function correctly. Besides, my droid Artoo will be your astromech copilot. He knows everything about the J-16 and he'll be able to help you."

"You'll not be coming?" asked Ki-Adi.

"I'm afraid I have some business to attend to. But once I'm finished, I'll go to Kashyyyk."

Yoda raised an eyebrow. "Hmmm. Told your Padawan, have you not?"

Anakin sighed. "That's the business I have to attend to. I want to talk to her face-to-face. It's going to hit her hard."

"Accept your sacrifice, you both must," emphasized Yoda.

"We will. And may the Force be with you." With that, Anakin departed.

Mace took another long look at the J-16. Sensing his concern, Ki-Adi said "Skywalker is one of our best pilots and mechanics. I'm sure the ship will work fine."

"I know it will work," said Mace. "What I don't know is if it'll complete the mission."

* * *

><p>Astromech droid R2-D2 rolled up to the J-16 Wampa Hunter. He whistled proudly to himself of the ship. He had helped Anakin design and build the ship, and was proud to be a part of its first mission. In fact, he was so excited, he didn't think about the dangers.<p>

Clone Captain Rex was not excited, but was still very determined to complete the mission. Recently, Rex had been promoted to the captain of a group of elite clones called star troopers. With this new position, star troopers received new armor and weapons that had not yet been produced for the entire army. Part of their arsenal included jetpacks, helmets with built-in night vision binoculars, and repeating blaster weapons with a single rocket launcher attached. Rex, however, opted to use twin concussion rifles that launched bolts of energy at a moderate pace that exploded upon impact with and object. The mission to Kashyyyk would be a perfect opportunity to show off his new rank, but he had to survive.

But he would have to focus on that later. Right now, there was a briefing to be focused on.

"Star troopers," announced Mace Windu. "You have been selected for this mission because you are our elite. This mission will be dangerous; I cannot guarantee you will survive. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," responded the clones.

"When we come out of hyperspace we will have already activated the stealth mode. After that, it will have to be seek-and-destroy. That is why we will split up. Master Mundi, Artoo, and I will fly the ship, and land to drop you and Master Yoda off at Master Reus' last known location. From there, you will find Grievous' base and send the coordinates to us so we can reinforce you."

Ki-Adi continued, "The base will likely be ray shielded and guarded by hundreds of battle droids and anti-aircraft guns. The only way to get past these defenses is for us to drop an electro-proton bomb that will temporarily disable the shields, the droids, and the guns. They will reactivate soon enough and, hopefully, Grievous will only think the signal transmitters malfunctioned. After that, we will land, and all of us will enter the base."

"After we've rescued Master Reus and confirmed that Grievous is there, we will call an invasion force to help us destroy the base, along with Grievous," finished Mace. "Once Grievous is dead, so is the Droid Army's Supreme Commander, along with the murderer of dozens of Jedi. We will be closer to winning the war."

* * *

><p>The sun shone in on the J-16 Wampa Hunter as the Jedi Temple hanger door opened. Mace Windu was in the pilot's seat, Ki-Adi Mundi was behind him in the navigator's seat, and R2-D2 was in the astromech socket on top of the ship's hull. Yoda and five star troopers were sitting in the cargo bay.<p>

"All systems actually check out," announced Mace with a hint of surprise in his voice. "I believe we're ready for take-off."

Yoda's voice sounded through the intercom. "Much doubt, I sense in you. Afraid, are you? Hmmm?"

"No Master," replied Mace. "I just don't approve of using this ship."

"Patience. Serve us well, it will."

"I hope it does. Otherwise this will be a real short trip."

Slowly, Mace lifted the ship off the ground, and out of the hanger. If the ship's engines failed after they left the temple, a hundred meters would surely end the mission. But they didn't, and soon the group was out of the atmosphere.

Ki-Adi observed the navigation system in front of him. There was a star map that gave information on all the known planets and their coordinates. There was a keyboard with letters and numbers, but no cursor for the map. So he touched the corner of the map and the screen zoomed in to a spot in empty space. It was labeled: Coordinates AA-23 Unknown Regions; No Planet at Location.

So it was a touch-screen map. He held his finger on the map and moved it to the left. The map moved to the left with his finger. When he found Kashyyyk, he tapped the sphere and the label came up: Coordinates P-9 Mid-Rim; Kashyyyk; Forest Planet Native to Wroshyr Trees and Wookiees. Ki-Adi typed in P-9 and a light flashed red. It was labeled: Hyperspace Ready.

"Here we go," muttered Mace as Ki-Adi pulled a switch and the stars outside the cockpit turned into white streaks of light. They had entered hyperspace. There was no turning back now.

* * *

><p>General Grievous examined his new prisoners. A patrol squad had captured several Wookiees who were on a hunt. Grievous enjoyed watching these walking carpets cower before him. If even <em>these<em> creatures were afraid of him, all others were terrified.

Wookiees stood over 2 meters tall – even taller than Grievous – and had immense strength and smarts. During the galaxy's youth, Kashyyyk had been an industrial planet in which the Wookiees worked. Eventually, the factories were abandoned, and the Wookiees were left with technological knowledge that they used to build weapons and elevators for the Wroshyr trees in which they lived. Because they were strong and smart, Grievous didn't kill them. He instead used them in his new project.

He stopped in front of one Wookiee. "What's your name?" When the Wookiee didn't respond, Grievous grabbed the creature by the neck and lifted him off the ground! "What's your name?" he repeated with emphasis.

The Wookiee didn't want to appear weak, but if he didn't talk, Grievous would kill him. So he replied with a loud growl. Having what he wanted, Grievous dropped him. "So, Chewbacca, I understand you are one of the bravest of your clan. So I ask you; do you fear me?"

Chewbacca roared angrily.

"Oh, don't worry," replied Grievous. "You'll be with your family soon enough." At this he laughed until he began to cough. He then turned to one of his IG-100 MagnaGuards. "Take this one to the medical center and have him tested! I look forward to seeing him die."

* * *

><p>Ki-Adi Mundi's console began to beep. "We are coming out of hyperspace. Activate the cloaking device." A few seconds later, the long streaks of white light turned back into stars. Outside the cockpit, the planet Kashyyyk loomed ahead, along with two cruisers.<p>

"Separatist Dreadnaughts," observed Ki-Adi. These long, massive ships were especially effective for attacking other ships. Luckily, the J-16 was cloaked, so the ship couldn't appear on the enemy's scanners.

R2-D2 beeped, and his message was translated by readout in the cockpit. Mace responded "No, Artoo. We could destroy them with one of the bombs, but we don't want Grievous to know we're coming."

The J-16 glided past the two cruisers, into the atmosphere. When they came out of the clouds, they saw the brilliant Kashyyyk landscape. They had heard the stories, but they had never seen the Wroshyr trees in real life. They were kilometers tall, and tens of thousands of years old. One tree alone could house an entire clan of Wookiees. Besides the trees, there were lakes and beaches.

Ki-Adi sighed reverently. "Such amazing things life can do."

"Much more amazing, what droids cannot do, it is!" chuckled Yoda.

"Well, I can tell you one thing droids can't do," said one clone.

"What's that, Crack?" asked clone trooper Spark.

"They can't know what hit 'em _after_ it comes! Pretty funny, huh?" At this joke, the clone laughed.

Mace frowned. He didn't like humor in the middle of battle. "More like pretty unorthodox. But thank you for reminding me, Trooper. We need to drop you off." He pushed forward on the throttle and the ship dipped down until it touched the ground. "All right, troopers. Here's your stop."

The back doors opened and the five clones and Yoda walked out with three BARC speeder bikes. "We'll call you when we find the base," said Rex.

"Don't do anything fun; we'll be interrupting it soon!" added Crack.

Mace closed the doors and took off. "Nice one, Crack!" scolded Rex. "You can bet the general is going to have a talk with you about that."

Clone trooper Crack got his nickname during his training on Kamino. He was known for cracking jokes in the middle of battle simulations, hence his nickname. No one approved of his jokes, but they knew he just wanted to relieve his anxiety. He wasn't the strongest or smartest clone, but he was one of the most dedicated to duty.

Spark's first mission had been during the Battle of Christophsis. He was assigned to replace a navigator on a prototype stealth ship Anakin Skywalker was to use to deliver relief supplies to the Republic command center. He quickly earned everyone's respect, and rose up the ranks to become a star trooper alongside fellow squad member Fuse.

The last star trooper was Fives. Fives, who had been promoted from ARC trooper, was nicknamed for his unit number consisting of all fives. He had been rewarded as a hero in preventing the first battle of Kamino, and also for fighting in the second battle. Fives' record had not been without loss. He was the last clone in the squad that had passed their training because of a miracle. Three of his friends had been killed during the Rishi base infiltration, and the last was killed during the mission to the Citadel. But Fives was still a strong clone, and he was determined to destroy the Separatists who had killed his brothers… even if it meant going on missions that were considered "legally suicide".

"Come, men," said Yoda, stumbling towards a speeder with his gimer stick. "Hurry, we must. Depending on us, the Jedi are."

* * *

><p>The normal silence of the forests of Kashyyyk was interrupted by the engines of the three BARC speeders. Although it was the easiest method of transportation, it could also attract unwanted creatures… or droids.<p>

Rex was driving the lead bike with Yoda sitting behind him. Rex surveyed the landscape with his helmet's binoculars. So far, there was nothing to indicate a Separatist presence. But- "Hold it!" ordered the Captain. "I saw something move!"

"Investigate, we must," said Yoda.

The bikes stopped and the troops dismounted. Rex looked through his binoculars again. "Yup. We got ourselves some battle droids on patrol… and they're headed our way!"

It was true. There were twelve B1 battle droids walking straight towards the clones' position. One of the droids had yellow markings painted on it. That meant it was a commander.

"I don't think we get through this one without a fight," said Rex. "If we run, we'll have left the speeders behind and the droids will find out we're here. If we drive the speeders away, the droids will hear them and find out we're here."

"Oh, well," said Crack. "Maybe there's a bike trail we can all ride!" He laughed at his joke.

"Ah, shut up, Crack!" said clone trooper Fuse. "There are only twelve of them. We can take them down easy!"

"Hmmm," thought Yoda. "Surprise them, we will. Wait for my signal." Before the clones could ask for further details, the aged Jedi Master leaped up into the trees and disappeared among the branches and leaves.

Rex sighed. "That's just great. Looks like we're on our own for this one."

"Can't blame him," said Crack. "Kids like to climb trees, why can't kid-sized adults?"

"You watch your mouth, trooper!" scolded Rex.

Spark patted Crack's shoulder. "Aw, don't get upset. It was a good joke. You can tell it later."

"Thanks, brother," replied Crack.

The battle droids, meanwhile, were getting closer. Soon they would walk through the bushes and find the clones. Rex raised his repeating blaster and signaled for the other clones to do the same. They took cover behind the BARC speeders as they heard the bushes rustle.

But then they heard the sound of battle droids screaming. Then all the battle droids flew over the bushes and landed behind the clones. The clones didn't hesitate to comprehend what had happened, but immediately opened fire before the droids could get up. Five volleys of laser fire tore the droids apart.

Then the bushes rustled again, but this time Yoda came out. Rex understood what happened. Yoda had used the Force to throw the droids over the bushes. "Nice job, sir."

"Keep moving, we must," replied Yoda. With that the clones got back on their speeders and rode off.

* * *

><p>"General, come quickly!"<p>

General Grievous entered the base's control room where the tactical droid in charge, TX-30, had summoned him urgently. "What is it, Commander?"

"We have lost all signals and contact from Squad 8. The map shows that they all moved forward 11.38 meters in less than one second, and we lost their signals within the same second. I calculate that they were attacked by something that is a threat to our operation."

Grievous growled with pleasure. "Commander, what could have pushed twelve droids so fast, then destroys twelve droids simultaneously?"

"I am afraid that is beyond calculating capacity," said the droid.

But Grievous answered his own question.

"Jedi."

* * *

><p>The problem with tactical droids like TX-30 was that although their brains had massive memory and computing capacity, they could only think mathematically and scientifically, and not often in ways that are neither, such as the Force. That was why each tactical droid used by the Separatists had an organic commander to order them.<p>

"Sir," explained TX-30 in its monotonous voice, "That is not possible. There are no weapons that could accomplish such a feat."

"They have their precious Force," replied Grievous. "And their precious lightsabers!" With the last word he drew one of his own lightsabers and held it to the droid's neck. But the droid merely stepped back, as it did not feel threatened by the weapon.

TX-30 continued to explain. "But how could the Jedi have gotten on the planet? We would have detected their ship no matter where on the planet they landed. And our blockade in orbit would have seen and engaged them."

"You're right," replied Grievous. "They must have used a ship with a cloaking device. That is the only way they could've gotten past security. I want a magnetic scan of the entire planet!"

"Roger, roger." The droid began typing on the control console. Then a map of the planet came up with red dots representing the presence of anything magnetic. There were a few dots scattered about where magnetic minerals could be mined, and also where the Wookiee villages were. There was one large red cluster representing the base, but there was another cluster moving across the planet. It was shaped like a triangle with a large oval sticking from the base. It was the shape of a Jedi starfighter!

Grievous laughed. "You Jedi should be smart enough to know that you can't hide from me!" Then he leaned into TX-30's faceplate. "Go to the main bunker entrance and reload the Anti-Aircraft guns, and send a squad of fighters to destroy that ship! See to it personally, commander. There will be no one to stop us this time."

"Roger, roger."

* * *

><p>The J-16 Wampa Hunter flew across the skies of Kashyyyk searching for any clues to the location of the Separatist base.<p>

"Master Mundi," said Mace Windu, "have you picked up anything yet?"

Ki-Adi Mundi tapped the screen twice then smacked the side of the computer with his fist. "No. Either the scanners on this ship are defective, or Grievous has his base hidden in a place where scanners can't work. Maybe in a swamp. Artoo, can you try and boost the signal?"

In the astromech socket, R2-D2 whistled and rotated his domed head back and forth.

Ki-Adi sighed. "Perhaps Master Yoda has had some luck. I will try to contact him." He pressed a button that activated the communications array and typed in the frequency. "This is General Mundi. What is your status?" There was no reply. "Captain Rex? Are you there? Captain, please respond. Master Yoda? Is anybody there?"

Mace thought. "Either the communications on this ship don't work, or we're being jammed."

"Are you suggesting that Grievous knows we're here? Unless – Wait! The scanners are picking up ten ships approaching! Separatist fighters!"

Mace saw them. There were five vulture droids and five tri-fighters. The vulture droids had long heads that elevated and rotated, and four long wings that, when rotated and opened, doubled as legs for walking mode. Also, when opened during flight, the vulture droids could launch four missiles. The tri-fighters were newer and were distinguished by a central brain pod and three half-ring-shaped wings with blasters on each wingtip.

Mace didn't think the J-16 would last long against such a force, but he was still slightly optimistic that the fighters were merely on patrol and weren't going to attack.

But they did.

To Mace's surprise, the blaster bolts were coming incredibly close to the ship. The droids couldn't be guessing where they were; they _knew_ where they were! "How do they know we're here?"

"I don't know," said Ki-Adi, "but I think we'll have to fight our way out of this one. I'm disengaging the cloaking device."

* * *

><p>General Grievous looked at the scanners in the control room. A ship suddenly appeared. He laughed. The Jedi had revealed themselves.<p>

* * *

><p>The three BARC speeders continued to zoom through the forest. The clones and Yoda had all agreed that the best direction to go in would be from which the droids had come. Since battle droids could not get far on foot, the speeders should reach the base quickly.<p>

And they did. It was in the middle of a swamp where only the most advanced scanners would work.

Captain Rex looked through his binoculars and looked around. "I don't see any buildings, but there is a small bunker just beyond that electric fence."

The fence he was referring to was composed of two-meter-tall poles spread ten meters apart from each other. They were connected by glowing beams of electricity. If the clones touched them, they would be shocked and killed. Charge shook his head. "How are we supposed to get past _that_?"

Crack, as expected, shrugged and joked, "Hey, maybe they can recharge our speeders!" He laughed.

"Enough with your pathetic jokes, Crack!" yelled Fives.

"Hmmm. Correct, he is," said Yoda. "Our speeders, need them we will not, so why keep them? Hmmm?" The clones were all confused. They were even more confused when Yoda sat down on the ground and began to meditate.

"Oh, what now?" asked Fuse.

Then two of the speeders lifted themselves off the ground and turned so they were standing on their rear ends. Yoda was using the Force. After he had turned them over, he moved them towards the fence. "Activate the other speeder," he ordered. Rex didn't wonder why, but he complied. "Get on," added Yoda. Once Rex was on the speeder, Yoda leapt into the air and landed on top of it.

He used the Force to move the other two speeders right into the electric beams. The speeders smoked and sparked violently, but they didn't explode. Then he moved the two speeders away from each other to separate poles. To the clones' astonishment, the two speeders blocked the energy beams, creating a gap for them to go through!

While the four other clones ran to the other side, Rex drove the speeder, with Yoda still on it, through the gap. Once they were all through, Yoda let go of the other speeders and let them drop. Rex laughed. "I never thought that could actually work! Well done sir."

"Send the coordinates to Master Windu, we must," said Yoda.

Crack activated his comlink. "General Windu, we've found the base. Head to coordinates… argh!" He never finished his sentence. A blaster bolt to the chest had made sure of that.

"Crack!" exclaimed Fuse. He ran to tend to his wounded friend. Crack was injured, but not yet dead. "Crack!" Fuse removed Crack's helmet. "Are you okay?"

Crack coughed. "It's just a crack. _Crack!_ Get it?" He began to chuckle meekly until he coughed again and fell unconscious.

The moment was interrupted by electronic laughing. They all turned and saw TX-30 standing in front of the bunker, holding a blaster. "Ha, ha, ha! You Republic apes weren't smart enough. We were tracking those droids you destroyed, and thus you gave yourselves away. And now your stealth ship is under attack as well! Droids, kill them!"

As the droid gave its order, five droidekas rolled from behind it and deployed from ball mode, activating their deflector shields and pointing their two heavy blasters at the remaining clones. Then about thirty B2 super battle droids lined up behind the droidekas. All had wrist blasters, but ten had rocket launches instead of their left arms.

The clones pulled out their weapons and Yoda his lightsaber.

The fight had begun.

* * *

><p>Mace Windu swerved the J-16 Wampa Hunter to the right to avoid the incoming laser fire. Then he angled downward and the droids gave chase. Then the droids opened fire again and Mace was fighting to not get hit. "I'll move down into the trees. They won't last long there."<p>

"Neither might we," pointed out Ki-Adi Mundi.

"We'll last longer than we will against those fighters," replied Mace. "And we might take a few of them with us. Artoo, didn't Skywalker say the navigator could launch missiles?"

R2-D2 beeped and whistled.

Ki-Adi pushed some buttons on his dashboard until he came up with the radar screen. "I've found it, but the trees could get in the way of the missiles. We'll have to wait until we come out into the open."

The immense size of the Wroshyr trees made it easier for Mace to maneuver, but droid brains weren't as quick. One of the vulture droids chipped its wing on the bark of a tree and it crashed into the lake.

"That's one."

Ki-Adi examined his screen some more. Then he noticed something and an idea hit him. "There are two tow cables equipped. I think I can get rid of some more fighters." He touched a few icons on the screen and pressed the fire button.

Two cables with suction hooks at the ends shot from the J-16's rear at two nearby dying trees. The ship pulled the trees down and three droid fighters crashed into them.

R2-D2 beeped excitedly.

"Yes," agreed Ki-Adi, "but there are still six left."

"At least we are coming out of the trees. Then we can destroy the rest of them," said Mace.

* * *

><p>General Grievous growled. "This is taking too long." Then he sent a message to the other fighters. "Use your discord missiles!"<p>

* * *

><p>When it came out of the trees, the J-16 Wampa Hunter was unharmed and the droids had lost three vulture droids and one tri-fighter. "We're in the clear!" announced Mace Windu. "Launch the missiles!"<p>

Ki-Adi Mundi examined the screen. There were six blips behind the J-16's icon. He tapped one of the blips and hit the launch button. A missile popped out of one of the wingtips and turned around. It flew right at one of the tri-fighters. Not expecting the blow, the fighter exploded. "It worked!"

But the other fighters realized that they had to be more alert to avoid the missiles, so they would be harder to destroy now. Then they spread out and each launched one discord missile. Mace had seen these projectiles used before. They had droid brains of their own, so they were nearly impossible to lose. He also knew another thing; if you weren't destroyed by the missiles, after a few minutes, they would launch four buzz droids onto your ship. And if that happened…

"Evasive maneuvers!" exclaimed Mace. He turned the ship around and pulled it over its previous course and then down. But the missiles still followed.

* * *

><p>Grievous laughed. "Let's see your Force save you now!"<p>

* * *

><p>After a while, the missiles propelled themselves in front of the J-16 and exploded, and, as expected, each launched four buzz droids at the ship. Mace could only hope none of the droids attached to the ship. But twenty of them did! "We're hit!"<p>

Buzz droids were distinguished as small machines that, when attached to their missiles, were encased in spheres no bigger than a quarter of a meter in diameter. Then the spheres opened to unleash the little saboteurs and let them walk across enemy ships. Their biggest feature, a drill saw that tore through the metal plating!

These buzz droids were already getting to work. One of them climbed to one of the engines and began to drill. Flames exploded from the engine and fried the droid. "Artoo! Put out the fire!" R2-D2 didn't act on Mace's orders. He was too busy trying to fight six droids at once with his arc caster. But the electric shocks didn't stop the droids, it just weakened them. Meanwhile, two more droids had climbed down to the underside of the ship and began to hack at the shield generators! And there were more heading towards the missile launchers!

"I have an idea," said Mace. He pushed a button and opened the S-foil solar panels on the wings. As he had expected, several droids crawled under the foils to tear apart the missile launchers. Then he pushed the same button again and the foils closed on the droids.

"This isn't working!" said Ki-Adi. There were more buzz droids tearing some of the ships wiring, and now the fighters had resumed their attack. He knew what he had to do. "Open the canopy."

"What? But those droids will get into the cockpit!"

"Just do it!"

Hesitantly, Mace complied. As the cockpit canopy opened there was a rush of wind in their faces. But Ki-Adi was determined, and he climbed out of the cockpit and onto the ship. Carefully, he grabbed hold of a pulled-up piece of metal and took out his lightsaber. If the grip of either hand loosened even a little, either the lightsaber or the Jedi would fly off into the forest, hundreds of meters below.

He aimed carefully, and swung his lightsaber through two buzz droids on the damaged engine, then moved towards R2-D2, who was still fighting five droids. He then sliced through two more. Then another. His plan was working!

"Ki-Adi, look out!" Mace's warning came too late. A buzz droid had climbed on top of the heroic Jedi and began to drill into his back! Ki-Adi screamed in pain and let go of the ship. But Mace was quick enough to grab his friend's hand while the droid flew off. But as Ki-Adi was pulled away from the ship by the wind, Mace still had hold of the throttle. As he was pulled back with Ki-Adi, so did the throttle, sending the ship in endless loops.

Now they were in big trouble!

* * *

><p>The clones fought as hard as they could. Rex was firing his twin concussion rifles and everything the shots hit exploded, but it wasn't powerful enough against the droidekas' shields. The other clones' rapid fire blasters were firing so fast it looked as though they were laser beams. And despite being almost 900 years old, Yoda was somersaulting this way and that, deflecting enemy fire with his lightsaber.<p>

One by one the super battle droids began to fall, but some were standing behind the protection of the droidekas. And TX-30 was also firing his own blaster, while constantly saying "ha" repeatedly in his electronic voice. It was a tough fight. "Droids," ordered TX-30, "use your rockets to destroy those speeders. I calculate that without them, the clones cannot escape."

The ten super battle droids with rocket arms each fired a ball of concussion energy at the speeders, but Yoda used the Force to collect all the energy into one big ball, and throw it back at the droids, causing about nine of them to explode, including two droidekas. "That is impossible!" exclaimed TX-30. "Our concussion energy is only one-tenth as strong as that! I will have to recalculate that later."

Rex looked behind him to check on Crack and was surprised by what he saw. Crack was relaying the base's coordinates into his comlink! Noticing this, TX-30 fired another shot at the wounded clone. The other clones and Jedi watched as Crack coughed out the last number, and then died.

* * *

><p>The J-16 Wampa Hunter was still out of control, with the only thing keeping Ki-Adi Mundi from falling being Mace Windu, and the only thing keeping Mace from falling being the throttle, which was starting to be pulled loose!<p>

Then Mace heard a voice. He realized it was coming through his comlink. "Crack! Crack, is that you?"

Crack's voice came through, though it was weak, coughing, and groaning. "General, we… found the… base." The voice went into a coughing fit. That's when Mace realized that Yoda was being attacked, too! "Coordinates… nine… four…"

"Artoo!" yelled Mace, "We need to regain control of the ship and fly to those coordinates!"

R2-D2 beeped, and took control of the ship to reverse the engines. The ship suddenly lurched backward, throwing the two Jedi into the cockpit, and then he lowered the canopy. Mace quickly set the ship level. He saw that all the remaining buzz droids had fallen off. They were back in control of the ship!

Then he saw some of the fighters flying toward then from the front. He began to fire the ships four wing-mounted laser cannons. The shots hit a vulture droid and a tri-fighter and they exploded. The remaining four fighters spread out and flew at the J-16 from different directions. Then they each fired another discord missile.

But Ki-Adi dragged his hand across the entire radar screen, targeting all of the droids, and then pressed the fire button. The missile launchers rotated as they fired eight missiles that flew at each fighter and missile. All the droids were destroyed.

"That's it! We did it!" laughed Mace. Then he listened to the rest of Crack's message.

"…three… Argh!" there was a moment of silence and Mace thought at this point, the clone had been killed before he could give the last number. But then the voice croaked, "…zero." After that, there was nothing. Crack was dead.

Mace didn't have time to mourn the loss, but instead flew to General Grievous' base.

* * *

><p>Grievous roared in rage as the computer displayed the droid fighters being destroyed and the Jedi ship flying to the base. "Ah! Those Jedi will pay for this treachery!" Then he began to cough again.<p>

The door opened and a battle droid commander walked in. "General, a scan of the Jedi ship shows that it's carrying the same type of bomb that destroyed our forces on Malastare."

General Grievous had heard of the defeat on Malastare. A clone bomber dropped an electro-proton bomb on the troops advancing toward the Dug Palace, and it deactivated the entire droid legion, leaving them prone to attack. If that bomb fell, there would be little damage to the base, but it would give the Republic a chance to destroy it!

"I'm going down to the lab," said Grievous. "We can only hope our anti-aircraft guns can destroy them."

* * *

><p>Yoda leapt to a tall tree nearby and cut it with his lightsaber. His calculations were correct. The tree was going to fall on the droids, including TX-30! The tactical droid looked up at its impending doom and said, "That does not compute." Then the tree fell, destroying the droids.<p>

"Yeah!" yelled Rex. "Good shooting boys!"

Spark pointed at the sky. "Look!" The J-16 Wampa Hunter had arrived!

Mace Windu spoke into his comlink. "Excellent work, troopers. You'd better get out of the way!"

Yoda and the clones ran into the brush just before the bomb dropped on the other side of the bunker. There was an explosion, then an electronic humming as a sphere of electricity expanded in diameter. For a brief moment, the clones couldn't see out of their helmets, and Yoda's lightsaber was deactivated. The bunker erupted into sparks.

* * *

><p>The battle droids in the base's control room noticed on their readouts that the electric fences had been disabled and all the scanners and security cameras had gone blank. Then the lights went out.<p>

"Uh-oh," said one droid.

"Roger, roger," agreed another.

Then with a pulse of electricity, the droids shut down.

* * *

><p>Grievous suddenly collapsed in the hallway. All of his cybernetic body parts glowed with electricity and the General screamed in pain. He was still conscious, but all his life support systems had gone out.<p>

But he held on. He knew he had a mission to complete, and the Jedi would make excellent test subjects. And with the Wookiees in the way, they would be easy to catch.

* * *

><p>After the bomb went off, Mace Windu forgot how quick it was. In fact, the J-16 Wampa Hunter was caught in the electric field and the ship began to plummet into the trees! "Blast it! The controls are shutting down. Artoo, turn everything back on!" But R2-D2 had been deactivated by the bomb. "Brace yourselves!" The ship was slowed by the branches, and then it flipped over to rest on top of one of the Wroshyr trees. Mace opened the cockpit so he and Ki-Adi Mundi could climb down.<p>

R2-D2 soon reactivated and noticed the Jedi climbing down the tree, so he ejected himself from the astromech socket…

…and fell head first into the branches.

When he finally landed on the ground, Rex winced. "That's going to leave a dent." But R2-D2 ignored his damage and used his thrusters to hover back onto his feet, then whistled happily.

When the two Jedi landed, Ki-Adi fell to the ground and they all saw that he had a large cut in his back where the buzz droid had attacked him. "Quick!" ordered Mace, "Get a medical kit!"

Spark pulled a medical kit out of his backpack and began to work. "I think he'll be all right."

"How's everyone else?" asked Mace.

"We're all fine sir," replied Rex. "Just a scratch. Although I don't think we can say the same for poor Crack over there."

They all looked into the brush and saw Crack's dead body. Mace thought it was ironic that the trooper who seemed to not care was the most dedicated on this mission. He had held on long enough to complete the mission.

"His sacrifice will not be forgotten," said Ki-Adi. He got up with a bandage around his body and replaced his tunic. "But now we have another mission: we must find out what Grievous is up to and call for reinforcements."

Mace smiled. "Then we'd better get going."

"What about the ship?" asked Rex, pointing up at the tree.

"It'll be all right. I got to hand it to Skywalker. That piece of junk is much better than one of those shuttles."

Ki-Adi chuckled. "I hope he doesn't get too upset when he finds out what we did to it."

* * *

><p>Back on Coruscant, Anakin Skywalker sat in his quarters meditating. He found that silence helped him increase his Force ability. And there were so many things to think about. He could think about the war, about his desire to be a Jedi Master, about his wife Senator Padmé Amidala, about his Padawan Ahsoka Tano…<p>

Ahsoka! Whenever she crossed his mind, he felt angry for some reason, and even afraid. It was because of what he had been ordered to do by the Jedi Council. Then Obi-Wan Kenobi came in, followed by Ahsoka, interrupting his thoughts.

"Master," said Ahsoka, "It's time to go."

Anakin sighed. "Okay, Snips."

Ahsoka left toward their waiting ship, leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin alone. Obi-Wan could sense that Anakin was troubled. "How long are you going to continue to put off your little chat?"

"I don't know. I _will_ tell her when I feel we're both ready."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Anakin, I think you need to learn to let go. I can sense your fear and anger. And it's building quickly. That leads to the dark side." With that, he left the room, giving Anakin a brief second to his thoughts.


	4. Biological Weapons

Biological Weapons (Ep. #4, Prod. #2)

* * *

><p>A mystery unraveling! Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Yoda, and Ki-Adi Mundi, along with a squad of star troopers, have infiltrated General Grievous' secret base on Kashyyyk. Now they are determined to kill Grievous and rescue Jedi Master Keelyvine Reus.<p>

But what the Jedi don't know is that Wookiees are dying during merciless experiments with an unknown weapon, and that Grievous plans for them to be the next subjects….

* * *

><p>Deep in the swamps of Kashyyyk, General Grievous, the commander of the Droid Army, had built a secret base. Although there were a few small bunkers on the surface, the rest of the base was a large complex of underground tunnels. In the center were the control room, several other rooms, and a large, open area.<p>

However, the Jedi could not present any proof that there was a base in the swamp, or that Grievous had anything to do with it. But if it meant killing the evil cyborg that had already killed countless Jedi, they were desperate to find out.

That's why Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Yoda, and Ki-Adi Mundi were sent with an elite squad of clone troopers to confirm these rumors and relay the information to the Jedi order. So far, they had breached the base's defenses and made it inside, but at a cost of one of their men… along with their cover.

After Grievous had recovered from the damage done by the electro-proton bomb, he went on a sweep of the base to oversee its repair. He began in the control room. "Well, what is the damage here?"

The battle droid commander looked up from the computer consoles and spoke in its electronic voice. "Uh, we've lost all power, and some of the computers have burned out. However, they can be fixed. However, it will take time. However, we should be up and running before any Republic invasion fleet can arrive. However, that is assuming the entire fleet rendezvous at their nearest base. However, our fleet in orbit should be able to hold them off long enough. However…"

"Shut up!" snapped Grievous. "Just get everything repaired. I'm heading to the power generators. They should help."

The droid nodded in acknowledgement. "Roger, roger." Then it returned to work.

"Sometimes I wonder why we put mindless droids like you in charge," growled Grievous as he exited the room.

* * *

><p>If there was anyone standing inside the main bunker's entrance, they would have suddenly seen three beams of light stick through the door and move in a circle, leaving behind a welded cut. The lasers were all white in the center, but outside the white they were green, blue, or purple.<p>

They were the lightsabers of three Jedi. Once each blade had entered another's cutting path, a large hole in the door fell in. Seven figures stood in the doorway. They were Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Yoda, and Ki-Adi Mundi, and star troopers Captain Rex, Fuse, Spark, and Fives. They had also come with clone trooper Crack, but he had been unfortunately killed during the battle to get inside.

"All right," announced Mace, "This won't be too hard as long as it's done by the book."

"We read all the time," responded Rex. "We can do books."

Spark chuckled. "Pulling a leaf from Crack's book, are you?"

The inside of the bunker was just filled with extra supplies and STAP speeders. At the other end of the room was a staircase that led down into the tunnels. At the bottom of the stairs, the tunnels went in three directions. There was no way to tell which one went where.

"Should we split up?" asked Fives.

"No," replied Mace. "We would do best to stick together." Then he went into one of the side tunnels and rubbed a finger against the ground. "This floor is covered in dust. It doesn't look like anyone goes this way." Then he went to the middle tunnel. "This one is used more." Then he went to the last tunnel. "This way is still a little dusty."

"So I suppose the middle tunnel is the best bet?" asked Fuse.

"It's _our_ best," corrected Rex, "but not _the_ best."

Yoda walked into the last tunnel, supporting himself with his gimer stick. "Correct, you are, Rex. That way, you will go."

Ki-Adi realized what Yoda meant. "You're not going into that tunnel, are you, Master?"

"A place of evil it is. In, I must go."

"Are you sure you want to go in alone?"

"Hmmm," sighed Yoda as he closed his eyes to meditate. "The dark side, I sense strongly. Face it, I must. Find Grievous, and discover his plot, we both will." With that, he stumbled further into the tunnel, while Mace, Ki-Adi, and the clones all went into the middle one.

* * *

><p>Yoda's tunnel was dark and dirty, and one would never know if a battle droid saw you… or worse. But that's what Yoda found so intriguing about the tunnel. He was attracted to anything that had to do with the dark side. And the further Yoda moved, the stronger he sensed it.<p>

But suddenly the feeling ended. Somehow, Yoda had moved away from the source somehow. He looked up and saw a small ventilation shaft. It was too small for most beings, but Yoda, being not even a meter tall, would fit just fine. So he used the Force to pull off the vent, and then leapt up into the shaft.

Sure enough, one of the shafts ran in a direction perpendicular to the tunnel. And the dark side was strong with something down that shaft.

* * *

><p>In the control room, the battle droid commander surveyed the many instruments. There were three battle droids putting the finishing touches on some of the computers. Then it went over to the main security console. "Well, all the wires are intact, the monitor has been replaced, the data chips have retained their memory, and once the power generators are fixed, we'll have those Jedi in no time."<p>

"That's a relief," replied one of the droids. "I sure wouldn't want to be attacked by a Jedi without even knowing."

"Just get those computers repaired and you won't be. Now where are the backup generators? Maybe one is still useable."

"They're in those cabinets over there." Another droid pointed in the direction it was referring to.

The commander walked to the cabinets and opened one of them. It picked up one of the generators and began to walk away when it heard something from the vent in the back of the cabinet. "Wait, I think there's something crawling around in the vents."

"A Jedi, here?" repeated the first droid. "I was afraid of this!"

"You idiot!" said the second droid, tapping its companion's head. "You circuits are loose. Jedi aren't small enough for those vents. It's probably just some swamp creature."

"Roger, roger."

But at that moment, Yoda crawled right past the vent and further down the shaft.

* * *

><p>General Grievous was growing impatient with the battle droids trying to restore the power. And impatience was something that Grievous did not tolerate well. "What's taking so long? I thought you would have the power back faster than this!"<p>

TX-25, one of Grievous' tactical droids, responded, "General, I calculate that there is more damage than we had expected, and therefore more time needed. But I calculate we shall be finished soon."

"You had better be, or else!" With that, Grievous stalked away. Now he was on his way to the prison area, where several Wookiees were being held. When the Separatists landed on Kashyyyk, instead of killing anything in their way, they captured them and held them in the base. Grievous needed these innocents for two reasons.

One: the Wookiees were valuable insurance should the Republic try to destroy the base. The Jedi loved life so much, that they wouldn't attack anything if there were innocents at risk. Two: Grievous needed test subjects for his new mission. He wanted to know how effective the new weapons would be against clones, and, by capturing Keelyvine Reus, Jedi. And soon he would have real clones and three more Jedi to test on.

As he entered the prison block, one Wookiee in particular roared at the General. Then he tried to tackle Grievous, who in turn used his cybernetic strength to throw the Wookiee across the room. "You should be grateful, Chewbacca, that I am letting you live. Guards!"

At that moment, two IG-100 MagnaGuard droids entered. They both activated their electrostaffs and began torturing Chewbacca. Chewbacca roared in anguish, but the guards continued to electrify him. Finally, the Wookiee collapsed.

"That's enough!" ordered Grievous. The MagnaGuards pulled away their weapons. "When the time is right, I want him in the arena with all of the creatures. But not until I get the Jedi."

* * *

><p>Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and the clones had followed the tunnel for a while before they came to a series of dark corridors. "It looks like we're going the right way," Ki-Adi remarked. "And it looks like the power is still out. We may pull this off yet."<p>

* * *

><p>"Almost… got it…" hummed a battle droid in the generator room. It was trying to reconnect the correct wires. If the two the droid was holding connected, the entire base's power would be restored.<p>

They did connect.

* * *

><p>In the control room, the lights suddenly came on. The battle droids looked around. "Hey!" said the commander, "I think the power's back!"<p>

One of the droids manned the security station when it noticed something on the cameras. "We found the Jedi! They're in the main corridor."

"Activate the security shields and stun turrets," ordered the commander. "The General wants them alive."

"Roger, roger." The droid pressed a button.

* * *

><p>The corridor the Jedi were in was suddenly illuminated by light. "I spoke too soon!" exclaimed Ki-Adi. "Get out of the corridor!" They all began to run, but before they could reach the exit, ray shields popped up over the doors, and panels in the walls opened to reveal stun turrets!<p>

The two Jedi activated their lightsabers while the clones readied their weapons. Then the turrets opened fire. Mace leaped over the clones to defend one side, while Ki-Adi defended the other. The lightsabers were able to deflect the bolts, but the bolts wouldn't destroy the turrets. Only the clones' blasters could destroy them.

While the other clones carried repeating blasters with a rocket launcher attached, Rex used twin concussion rifles. The blasters fired a continuous stream of lasers and the rifles fired balls of explosive energy. Together, they could destroy the turrets.

Two of the turrets fired at Mace at the same time, and he was only fast enough to stop one blast. The other hit Spark. The clone yelled and fell to the ground. Rex turned and fired at the turret that shot his companion and it exploded in a shower of sparks. Fives and Fuse moved their guns back and forth and took out two more turrets. Mace leaped at the last one and sliced through it.

With the danger over, the clones could tend to their fallen friend. Spark was breathing heavily, but he was alive and well. "He'll be all right," assured Rex.

Ki-Adi stroked his chin. "The question is why. Why use stun lasers to weaken enemies and not blasters to kill them? It's obvious that Grievous wants his prisoners taken alive."

Mace nodded. "That would explain why they've been stealing from our relief ships. But what do they want prisoners for?"

Then they heard a soft roar from down the hall. "I think we're about to find out."

* * *

><p>Yoda continued through the ventilation shaft to the source of the dark side. But he took a slight detour when he heard the voice of General Grievous.<p>

"How are the rest of the prisoners?"

Yoda followed the voice and looked through a vent. He saw Grievous, two MagnaGuard droids, and a 2-1B medical droid and an FX-6 surgical droid. The 2-1Bs were humanoid robots whose brains could store medical data and had faces designed to look comforting to patients. The FX-6s were shaped almost like tall cylinders with one eye that looks in every direction at once and six robotic arms with several medical tools. Yoda didn't understand why Grievous needed medical droids in a droid base.

Not until he looked around the room.

There were Wookiees everywhere. But they were weak and wounded. They had suffered brutal pain from something, but Yoda didn't think it was droids.

The 2-1B droid spoke to Grievous. "Ten patients have recovered, twelve are stabilized, seven require surgery and time to recover, and we lost one." It gestured to a dead Wookiee lying on the floor. It had three long scars across its chest, like it had been mauled. "He will be disposed of in a safe manner," continued the droid. "And he will be replaced soon. A squad has captured two more hunters, and we are preparing them for testing."

So they were testing something, Yoda realized. But what?

A battle droid entered the room and walked up to Grievous. "General, our Trandoshan spy is contacting us."

Grievous coughed and said, "I will take his call in my personal quarters." He turned and left the room. After he left, the medical droid said to the MagnaGuards, "Patients one, five, seven, and nine have been deemed fit for testing. You may now escort them into the arena."

The droids nodded and four Wookiees, holding their hands behind their heads, were prodded out of the room with the droids' electrostaffs. Curious, Yoda crawled through the vents, using the Force to determine the turns he should make to follow them.

* * *

><p>General Grievous stalked to his personal quarters, fitted with a desk, holoprojector, lounge chair, and spare parts in case he needed repairs. He sat at the desk and keyed in a frequency. A hologram of a reptilian Trandosham sprang up. "What is it, Nobit?"<p>

Nobit, a strong and well-respected hunter, hissed and replied in a scratchy voice, "I've been trying to call you for hoursss. Where have you been?"

Grievous replied, "The Jedi have infiltrated the base, and knocked out the power. But we have restored it, and soon, the Jedi will be in custody."

Nobit's eyes widened. "Jedi? How many?"

"Two, plus the one I have already captured. Soon, they will be tested."

Nobit snarled. "Don't forget our deal, Grievousss. I sssuplied you with the information to take thisss planet, and in exchange, you would sssuply me with my firssst Jedi kill!"

"You will get your Jedi," assured Grievous. "Come to the base. Once they've been tested, you may choose one of the injured to fight and kill. I promise you."

Nobit cackled in excitement. "Thank you, General. I look forward to our alliance."

* * *

><p>The Jedi and the clones blasted (and sliced) through the ray shields and found the source of the roaring. The hall forked off into a circle, with large windows in the walls closest to the center of the circle. Beyond the windows was a large, tall, circular room. Inside the room were several Wookiees and…<p>

… Three enormous monsters!

But these weren't ordinary monsters. They seemed to be mixes between different monsters found throughout the galaxy.

"Ugh!" exclaimed Rex. "What the hell are those things?"

"They're experiments," replied Ki-Adi. "Grievous has been creating these biological weapons."

"Should we call for help now?" asked Fuse.

"No," replied Mace. "I want to see what these things are."

* * *

><p>Grievous was on a balcony overlooking the arena, watching as the Wookiees were attacked by the monsters. That was his mission. He was to cross-breed monsters to create new, mutated ones.<p>

The first mutant was a rancor, but it could move faster and was stronger than a regular rancor. Not only did it eat its victims, but were its skin broken, its body fluids would spill out and poison any organic they touched. And Grievous didn't have to be concerned of it bleeding to death; its skin could heal within one hour of being cut.

The second was a 10-meter snake with four small pincers around the head that would burrow into the ground, then strike out underneath its victims and eat them. And it could move so fast, it would be nearly impossible to catch and kill.

The third was a large, nimble, dog-like quadruped with sharp claws and teeth strong enough to bite through solid metal. For this reason it could climb on walls and ceilings, and it could fall hundreds of meters and survive. It also wore a light armored shell over its body that could protect it from any weapon; including lightsabers!

"Most impressive, doctor," said Grievous to the scientist standing next to him. "You have certainly proven yourself."

"Thank you, General," replied Nuvo Vindi.

Vindi resembled a tall human with gray skin, a long neck, and large eyes. He had been recruited by the Separatists earlier in the war because of his successful tactics in reviving the deadly Blue Shadow virus and almost unleashing it on Naboo. However, the Jedi captured him and contained the virus, and Vindi was arrested by Naboo authorities.

But recently Grievous broke him out or prison and asked him to help in his mission. Vindi gratefully accepted. He was excited to create new life forms that would make him rich. Grievous had supplied him with the monsters he was to breed and the Wookiee warrior prisoners to test the mutants, and Vindi had discovered the technique to specific genetic altering. Now they had the most powerful creatures in the galaxy at their disposal.

Vindi continued to Grievous, "Do I have your approval to create more of these beauties?"

"Not yet," answered Grievous. "After they've been tested against the Jedi, you will be free to continue the process."

To this, Vindi laughed with pleasure, a high-pitched, nasally voice.

* * *

><p>Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and the clones watched as the Wookiees fought the creatures without effect. Each Wookiee had their bowcasters as weapons, but against these creatures they were useless.<p>

Two Wookiees were shooting at the snake-like creature, but the snake was too fast and none of the bolts ever met their target. Then it burrowed into the dirt and disappeared. But the Wookiees were roaring in panic and began to run away. The ground rumbled and the snake burst out from under one poor Wookiee in a shower of dirt, and when the dirt settled, the Wookiee was no more.

Another Wookiee was shooting at the canine creature, while diving out of the way to avoid it. Most of the shots hit the dog, but none of them seemed to affect it. Then the Wookiee tripped and the dog grabbed him in its mouth and shook him violently until, with a horrifying crack, his neck broke and he died. The dog then chewed up the Wookiee and ate him.

There were three Wookiees trying to fight the rancor. But for some reason they were only shooting inside the rancor's mouth. Then the rancor turned and a shot hit its cheek. Blood came out and dripped onto one of the Wookiees' leg, which began to shake violently and then, gradually, the rest of his body convulsed until the Wookiee died. Then the rancor grabbed the dead Wookiee and tossed it into its mouth.

After that, Grievous must have decided to stop the testing and ordered battle droids to escort the three remaining Wookiees out of the arena. Then some more droids fired sedative waves at the creatures and herded them into three separate gates.

Mace nodded. "I think it's time we called for help." He activated his wrist comlink and said "Admiral Kilian, we've found Grievous and his base and we're ready for your attack. I'm sending you the coordinates." He punched a series of numbers into the comlink and waited for a response.

After a few moments, Admiral Kilian's disciplined voice spoke. "Acknowledged, general. We're on our way."

Suddenly, the entire world went dark.

* * *

><p>When Mace Windu came back into consciousness, he was suspended in an energy field in a prison cell. This type of field was designed to constrain muscles, making large movement hurt. When he looked around, he saw the clones and dozens of Wookiees all sitting on benches and to his right Ki-Adi Mundi was suspended in a similar energy field. To his left was someone else in another field.<p>

"Master Reus!" he exclaimed.

Keelyvine Reus looked up towards Mace. She was tall and thin and wore her brown hair in a bun. "Well, it's about time you woke up," she commented. "I was beginning to think you were dead."

"Well, we're all fine, and Admiral Kilian is coming to rescue us before Grievous kills us."

"You misunderstand," Keelyvine explained. "Grievous is planning to use those creatures in battle to decimate our forces. But first he wants to test them against Jedi and clones. If we kill them, he'll create improved ones and keep us trapped here. In other words, he doesn't want to kill us."

Mace noticed that there were more clones in the room than just his, including Commander Ganch, Keelvyne's second-in-command. "Where's Master Yoda?"

"Yoda's here?" repeated Keelyvine.

"Yes," replied Ki-Adi. "However, we have not heard from him. I suspect he is hiding in the vent systems. Why, I don't know."

"What about the Wookiees?" asked Mace.

"None of them are very happy or healthy," said Keelyvine sadly. "And there's one Wookiee who's been giving Grievous a lot of trouble. We don't know what happened to him."

Mace realized that by using the Wookiees, Grievous had made a critical error. They were great warriors and hard workers, yes, but they had short tempers. Wookiees have been known to pull people's arms out of their sockets if they lose. If Grievous tortured them too much, and the Wookiees escaped, things would not end well for him… and not too pretty either!

Mace's thoughts were interrupted when the door to the cell opened and Grievous walked in. The cyborg laughed triumphantly until he began to cough. "Ah, victory is sweet. Count Dooku has been very anxious to catch up with you, Windu."

"You can tell him I've been very anxious to catch up with him, Grievous," replied Mace sourly.

"I don't think you understand what danger you are in. When I captured your friend Reus and her clones, I knew I needed more. That's why I activated her homing beacon in the middle of the jungle. But I had never expected them to send you two." He turned to Ki-Adi. "I have a score to settle with you, Mundi. This time, you won't be so lucky."

Grievous was referring to the Battle of Hypori in which Ki-Adi was the first Jedi to have survived a duel with Grievous. Before that, no Jedi had lived to warn anyone of Grievous' existence. Clone reinforcements had been called in, and Grievous was forced to retreat.

There was a beeping sound and Grievous took out a holotransmitter. He turned it on and a hologram of Nuvo Vindi appeared. "What is it, Vindi?"

"General," stated the scientist proudly, "the creatures have been prepared. I also starved them as you ordered."

Grievous cackled deviously. "Good. The Jedi are almost ready." He switched of the transmitter spoke to the Jedi. "Soon, you will die. And my creations will be unleashed upon the galaxy!"

* * *

><p>Soon, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and Keelyvine Reus were sent into the arena. Grievous had given them their lightsabers to fight with. Captain Rex, Commander Ganch, Fives, Fuse, and three of Keelvyne's clones followed them with their weapons. Spark and the rest of the clones had been deemed unfit for testing and remained in the cell.<p>

Then two MagnaGuard droids dragged in a Wookiee whose hands were bound. They undid the binders and shoved the Wookiee to the ground. "Chewbacca!" said Keelyvine with relief. Chewbacca roared at the droids leaving the arena. "This is the Wookiee who's been causing Grievous trouble," she explained to the others. "He is worried for his family, and the rest of his clan. He knows he must be strong, and therefore feels the need to stand up to Grievous."

Mace shook his head. "He's only putting his family in more danger. Grievous is much more dangerous than he believes."

On the balcony above, they saw Grievous and Vindi at the control panel. "Open the doors," Grievous ordered. Vindi pushed a button on the console and the three gates began to creak open. "Goodbye, Jedi!" Grievous laughed until he coughed again.

The gates opened all the way and the three monsters began to emerge. "I've got a bad feeling about this," said Ganch.

"Oh, this is where the fun begins," responded Rex eagerly.

Ki-Adi ignited his lightsaber. "May the Force be with us all." Mace also ignited his weapon, then Keelyvine her two sabers, then the clones loaded their blasters, and Chewbacca his bowcaster.

Then the creatures entered the arena; the rancor, the snake, and the dog. All looked viciously hungry. "Check your fire, men!" warned Mace. "If you blast that rancor we all die!"

"And how do you expect us to kill it, then?" asked Rex.

"I have a few ideas."

Then the fight began as the dog charged. All the clones and Chewbacca fired at it, but the armor was too strong.

"Keep it busy!" ordered Mace. "I'll take the rancor. Masters, when I give the signal, we're going to throw that beast at the rancor!"

"What good will that do?" asked Keelyvine. "They're both too strong!"

Mace didn't reply. He had already jumped up to land in front of the rancor. It roared at its new prey and tried to stomp on him. But Mace rolled out of the way, and then ran as the rancor tried to grab him.

Meanwhile, the snake darted forward towards Keelvyne, who jumped up to avoid the snapping jaw. Then she angled her lightsabers down as she fell down to the snake's skull. But it was fast and twisted its neck to knock the Jedi against the wall.

Fives and Fuse, at the same time, were shooting at the dog and jumping out of the way when it charged at them. While Fuse was silent, Fives yelled words to taunt it. "Here, boy! Fetch the lasers!"

Ki-Adi sensed the creature getting angry and yelled a warning. "Fives! Don't taunt it anymore! It's only getting madder!"

"Don't worry, sir!" replied Fives. "I'll be careful!" As soon as he said that, he jumped out of the way again as the dog charged, but expecting the movement, it turned and scratched the clone in the leg. Noticing an easy meal, the snake dove into the ground. Fives tried to get up, but his leg was broken. He couldn't move!

Then the snake burst out of the ground under Fives and grabbed him by the leg. The poor clone was then separated from his limb and he fell screaming to the mouth of the dog. The dog grabbed Fives in its mouth and shook him. But Fives was dead yet. He still had his blaster, and there was one rocket loaded. He took a deep breath and pointed the weapon at himself.

Rex screamed. "Fives! Don't do it!"

But it was too late. With the last of his strength, Fives launched the rocket and blew himself up, setting the inside of the dog's mouth on fire.

* * *

><p>Grievous looked from the hurt creature to Vindi and growled. "I thought they were immune to weapons!"<p>

"On the outside," replied Vindi, "but not the inside." Then he quickly added "Yet."

* * *

><p>Rex was stunned by the horrific, yet honorable sacrifice of Fives. The last member of Domino squad was dead. "Sir? I think that's one too many losses for today!"<p>

Mace replied, "I agree, Rex. Come with me. We need to bring that rancor down! Grab Fives' weapon and set for ascension cable!" Rex looked around for the blaster and saw it lying in front of the dog creature. The pain from the explosion had momentarily stunned it, leaving an opening for Rex.

While the dog was in pain, Rex ran up and grabbed the blaster. Then he called to Mace. "I got it!"

"Use the cable to tie the creature up!" ordered Mace, still running from the rancor.

Although it was damaged, Rex adjusted the blaster to fire a cable at one of the dog's legs, and then run around it, tying up the beast so it couldn't move. "Now what?"

Mace looked over to Fuse who was hiding behind an alcove, shooting at the snake. "Fuse! Tie up the rancor and bring it down!"

Fuse looked over. "Copy that, sir!" He ran from his hiding place and approached the rancor from behind. He carefully aimed, and fired his blaster's ascension cable. But the rancor, feeling something attach to its leg, turned around and began to attack Fuse. But the clone bravely ran toward the rancor and, as it began to swing its arm, he ran in the direction of the arm so it would pass over him.

Fuse began to circle the rancor. The creature howled with annoyance and stepped to the side.

Right on top of Fuse!

"Fuse!" exclaimed Mace. He used the Force to push the rancor over and recover the clone. Fuse stirred, so he was thankfully alive. Mace used the Force to move him back into his alcove. Then he grabbed the blaster and finished the job.

The rancor tried to move, but it tripped on the cords and fell. Mace jumped on top of the rancor and called out. "Master Mundi, Master Reus, get ready to lift that dog!" The two Jedi complied. They used the Force to lift the dog and hold it near the rancor. "On the count of three!" Mace pointed his lightsaber down at the rancor's head. "One… two… three!"

On three, Mace sliced through the rancor's brain and jumped before the poisonous fluids could hit him. Immediately, Ki-Adi and Keelyvine pushed the dog against the rancor's wound. The poison soon covered the dog and, after shaking violently and screaming, died. At the same time, the rancor died of its brain injury. Both came crashing to the ground.

* * *

><p>Vindi screamed. "Oh! How can this be?! This is impossible! No-o-o!"<p>

Grievous picked up the sobbing scientist and threw him against the wall. "You fool! You are as much at fault for this! You didn't think about that when you created them! Now let's watch how the Jedi deal with the third creature."

* * *

><p>The clones cheered as the rancor fell. But the celebration was short-lived; the snake still had to be dealt with. It burrowed into the ground again, and though the clones were fast, one was taken by the snake. Chewbacca had reacted quickly and grabbed the clone so he rode up to the monster's head. He spread out his legs so that he stood on the snake's open jaws.<p>

"Chewbacca!" exclaimed Keelyvine. "No!"

But Chewbacca was shooting into the creature's mouth, forcing it to emit a loud, scream-like hiss. The Wookiee continued firing, and he roared a war cry. Then the snake wavered, and Chewbacca slipped… and fell into its mouth. But he still held on, trying to keep the jaws from shutting. But no matter how hard he pushed, the snake was stronger.

It looked as though it were all over.

But then the vent burst open and Master Yoda jumped out, lightsaber in hand!

* * *

><p>Grievous growled. "How could I have been such a fool? I should have known there would be another Jedi hiding somewhere!"<p>

General Grievous and Nuvo Vindi watched as Yoda landed on top of the snake and sliced through its head. The snake screamed in pain and Chewbacca climbed out of the creature's mouth as the creature fell to the ground, dead.

Before the creature fell, Yoda jumped from the snake's head to the balcony. Grievous took out two lightsabers collected from dead Jedi and ignited them. Count Dooku had warned him to avoid a duel with Master Yoda. So as Grievous swung his lightsabers this way and that to defend against the Jedi's lightsaber, he gave an order to Vindi. "Quickly! Hit the emergency termination button!"

Vindi, who was cowering against the panel, couldn't believe what he heard. "What? But we've never tested it!"

Grievous' lightsabers clashed against Yoda's. "Hit it!"

"We don't even know if it will work!"

Grievous kicked Yoda off the balcony, but the master had jumped off and grabbed the support beams and cut them in two. Then he jumped back up to continue the duel. Without the supports, the balcony floor began to crack. "Just do it!" repeated Grievous.

Vindi nodded in acknowledgement, and nervously pushed a red button labeled "do not push". An alarm went off and a recorded voice echoed through the arena. "Simulation terminated. Simulation terminated. Simulation terminated…."

Ray shields suddenly went up over the gates and panels in the walls opened. Lava was pouring out of them! "We have to get to that balcony!" said Ki-Adi Mundi to the other Jedi and clones and Chewbacca. "It's the only way! Use your ascension cables!" Chewbacca and the clones fired their ascension cables up at the balcony. Holding on to their blasters, they began to scale the wall. The Jedi climbed the cables, Mace with Fuse slung over his shoulder.

Soon, lava covered the entire floor of the arena, burning the corpses of the three dead creatures. The group continued to climb the eight meters to the balcony. But it was still cracking without the supports. When there were only three meters left to climb, the balcony lurched downward. Grievous used his claws to grab the floor, Vindi slid towards the edge of the balcony and grabbed the railing to avoid falling, and Yoda jumped off and landed on Chewbacca's shoulders.

Grievous began to climb up the balcony floor to the hallway. But then Vindi yelled after him. "Wait, General! Don't forget me! You can't leave me to die like this!" Grievous took a look back at the scientist, and then ran down the hallway. "No! You traitor!" yelled Vindi angrily. "We had a deal!"

The heroes realized they didn't have enough time to climb the rest of the way. "Swing!" ordered Keelyvine. She began to swing on her cable back and forth towards the wall, and the other Jedi did the same to the other cables. Once her feet hit the wall, Keelyvine pushed with her feet, using the Force, to swing up and over onto the balcony. The others did the same.

They all made it to safety, just as the balcony fell into the lava, and the screaming Dr. Vindi with it.

* * *

><p>After fleeing the arena, the Jedi and clones fled to the control room to regroup. "How many did we lose?" asked Ki-Adi Mundi.<p>

"We only lost one to the rancor," reported Ganch.

Rex sighed. "We also lost Fives."

"Hmmm. Mourn him, we will," said Yoda.

"What about Fuse?" asked Mace Windu.

Rex examined the clone. "Actually, it doesn't look like the damage is as bad as we thought. Some of his bones are broken, but he's breathing. I think he'll make it, but we need to get him onto a medical cruiser soon."

"Admiral Kilian should be here soon, if he got past the blockade, that is."

"Nevertheless," said Ki-Adi, "I think we should leave immediately."

"Shouldn't we go back for the others?" asked Keelyvine.

Chewbacca barked a reply to which Yoda replied, "Rescue the Wookiees, we will."

Rex slung Fuse over his shoulder. "I'll get him outside and flag down the admiral. You all go back to the prison level."

When they went out the door, Rex turned right towards the entrance, while everyone else turned left towards the prison level.

* * *

><p>General Grievous entered the base's hanger bay. Inside were an assortment of Separatist shuttles, droid fighters, landing craft, and STAP speeders. Grievous saw his personal fighter sitting in the corner of the hanger, but he couldn't leave yet. He knew that once Count Dooku found out that Nuvo Vindi was dead and the creatures destroyed, he would punish Grievous, perhaps even in a brutal way. If Grievous was to save his reputation, he knew he needed to bring something back of use to the Separatists. And he knew just what to get.<p>

So he went over to his personal wheel bike and activated it. He walked it through the hanger on its four retractable legs, then, when he was out of the hanger, the legs retracted and the main hoop wheel spun, sending Grievous speeding across Kashyyyk.

* * *

><p>Admiral Kilian's fleet of battle cruisers came out of hyperspace over Kashyyyk, right where he could see the two Separatist Dreadnaughts turn their way. "All troops, man your battle stations! We've got a bit of business with those command buckets over there. Send down a relief team to the surface."<p>

As the ships neared closer to each other, they all prepared for the battle. The turbolasers were armed, the fighters fueled, and the shields activated. In the dorsal hanger of Kilian's ship, medical transports, tanks, and gunships were loaded with troops and supplies for the journey down to the surface.

* * *

><p>On one of the Separatist cruisers, the droid captain saw the incoming Republic ships and quickly typed a frequency into its comlink. A hologram of General Grievous appeared. He was sitting on his wheel bike, which was rolling forward. "What is it, Captain?"<p>

"General, a Republic fleet has just come out of hyperspace."

Grievous wheezed. "Of course! The Jedi have called in reinforcements. Hold them off until I finish my mission. Soon, they will all die!"

* * *

><p>Mace Windu waved his hand and the battle droids guarding the prison cell were thrown into each other, and were then shot by Ganch. When the prison door opened, the group shot at the droids and security cameras. Once the droids and cameras were destroyed they found the prison control console. Mace pushed a button and all the cell doors unlocked. The others ran to each cell to collect the prisoners they had now freed. Spark and the other clones were recovered, as were thirty Wookiee prisoners. Keelyvine Reus opened a locker against the wall to reveal the prisoners' weapons, which they gratefully retrieved.<p>

"Hurry!" ordered Mace. "We have a fleet on their way to pick us up. We'll help all of you get home."

The Wookiees all roared with delight and ran after the Jedi to the exit. But along the way their path was blocked by six commando droids! Commando droids were elite battle droids with improved decision-making and memory, tougher armor, and a wider range of movement that allowed them to perform hand-to-hand contact. These droids were also armed with blasters and energy shields.

The leader held up a hand and spoke in an electronic voice similar to that of a battle droid. "Halt! You are outnumbered and you are coming with us." But while the Jedi and clones were hesitant, the Wookiees charged at the droids. The lead droid pointed its blaster at the Wookiees. "Blast them!" But none of the droids fired quickly enough.

Everyone got to see first-hand how Wookiees fought; they jumped on the droids, ripped off their limbs with their bare hands, threw them across the hall, crushed them with their feet, and with each kill let out a ferocious war cry.

"Wow," said Rex. "That was amazing!"

"It's what the legends say," pointed out Ki-Adi Mundi.

After the droids were destroyed, they all ran to the exit and were soon outside. They were free! And when they looked up, there were three Republic gunships and tank-carrying dropships headed their way.

* * *

><p>The gunships all ferried the Wookiees back to their villages, and the wounded clones back to the cruiser. Mace Windu was glad everything would work out, but there was still one thing. He spoke to a hologram of Admiral Kilian. "The creatures and Vindi are dead. I only regret that we never got to learn how they were made in the first place."<p>

Kilian shook his head. "I guess that's just the way it is sometimes. You can never get what you want most."

"Indeed. Anyway, Grievous escaped. Did any ships attempt to leave the planet?"

"No sir," replied Kilian. "The only ships we picked up were the fighters coming from the battleships in orbit."

"That means Grievous is still on Kashyyyk!" Ki-Adi deduced. "We may catch him yet."

"Hmmm," said Yoda. "Powerful, Grievous is, but a coward. Catch him we must, if to win the war, we want."

"I will go find Grievous," said Mace, heading towards an AT-RT scout walker nearby. "You can finish cleaning up here."

"I will come too," said Ki-Adi Mundi, heading towards a second walker.

"May the Force be with you," said Yoda.

The two Jedi mounted the walkers and ran off into the distance.


	5. Kidnapped King

Kidnapped King (Ep. #5, Prod. #3)

* * *

><p>New weapons unleashed! As the Clone Wars escalates, General Grievous has created new mutated creatures to counter Republic forces. In his testing facility on Kashyyyk, dozens of innocent Wookiees have been killed by these monsters.<p>

The Jedi have infiltrated the base and destroyed the monsters, along with the vile scientist who created them – Dr. Nuvo Vindi. Republic reinforcements were called, and the Wookiee prisoners have been freed. But now the Jedi have a new task – to capture Grievous….

* * *

><p>Grievous' base was located deep in the swamps of Kashyyyk, where no one would find it. But now it was overrun with Republic forces. After discovering that Grievous was mutating creatures to use against the Jedi, Jedi Master Mace Windu had called his fleet commander, Admiral Kilian, to reinforce them. Now the creatures and Nuvo Vindi were destroyed, and Master Keelyvine Reus and the Wookiee prisoners were rescued.<p>

Grievous, however, managed to escape the base on a wheel bike, and was somewhere on the planet. That was why Mace and Master Ki-Adi Mundi left to find him. Keelyvine and the wounded clones were brought by Republic gunships to the Jedi cruiser's medical bay. Many Wookiees who lived in distant villages were being flown home by more gunships. Master Yoda had stayed at the base to command the cleanup.

Clone Captain Rex and Yoda were in the base's control room. Some clones were trying to hack into the computers to find Separatist information. Other clones had left to hunt down any remaining droids. Rex turned to Yoda and commented, "Well, that was too close. If those creatures had gotten out, the entire planet would be dead."

Yoda nodded. "Hmmm. With great power come great flaws. A grave chance, Grievous took."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about them anymore." Behind his helmet, Rex smiled.

But his smile was cut short when a blood-curdling scream echoed through the hall. "Oh, god, No! _NOOOO_!" Rex and three other clones ran out into the hall to find the source of the scream.

And they couldn't believe what they saw.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," breathed Rex. There were two dog mutants playing tug-o-war with a clone's body. Then a rancor grabbed the body and tossed it into its mouth. Then the creatures began to fight each other, and Rex saw to his horror there were dozens of dogs, rancors, and snake creatures behind them!

Rex couldn't understand it. Vindi had only made one of each creature because Grievous had ordered him to wait until they were tested against the Jedi. But then again, maybe Vindi decided not to follow orders and make more creatures. And as Rex observed the different sizes and parent-like qualities of the creatures, and that some creatures had the traits of different types, he realized the awful truth… they were _breeding_!

"Move. Move!" ordered Rex. He and the clones that had followed him all ran back into the control room. He pulled a thermal detonator out of his backpack, activated it, and threw it into the hallway at the fighting monsters. There was a loud explosion and all the fighting stopped. Had they all been killed?

No. They had been made angrier. The creatures ran down the hall… straight towards the exit! "They're getting loose!" exclaimed Rex.

* * *

><p>Across the Kashyyyk landscape, two AT-RT scout walkers ran, being piloted by Jedi Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi. All Terrain Recon Transports were small, fast, and light vehicles that walked on two legs and were armed with a single blaster cannon and mortar launcher. They could walk or run at speeds as fast as 90 kmh.

"How do we find Grievous if he's still on the planet?" called Ki-Adi.

"Well," replied Mace, "I would say the capital city is a good place to start."

Mace's comlink beeped. He pushed the button to activate it. "This is Windu."

Rex's voice came through, yelling. "Sir! The creatures! They're breeding!"

Mace was stunned. "_What_ did you say?"

"Vindi created more creatures, and now they're breeding! And what's worse, they're escaping!"

Mace and Ki-Adi knew what that meant. There were new unstoppable weapons loose on Kashyyyk! "You'll have to deal with it! We've got our own problems at the moment."

"Don't worry about us, sir. We'll be all right!" With that, the transmission ended.

"How could there have been more creatures?" asked Ki-Adi. "Grievous only allowed Vindi to make one of each."

"Looks like Vindi took orders about as well as Skywalker."

* * *

><p>Rwookrrorro was the capital of Kashyyyk. It sat high atop the trees as a series of tree houses. Wookiee King Grakchawwaa ruled from his throne there, and it was also not far from Grievous' base. That's why Grievous built his base where it was. He knew that if his mission failed, he would have to bring back something of use to Count Dooku. And that something resided in Rwookrrorro.<p>

Now Grievous was approaching the city on his wheel bike to collect his prize. He parked his wheel bike at the base of the tree and approached one of the elevators. There were two Wookiees guarding it, but Grievous sliced through them both with a lightsaber. He then got in the elevator and rode it to the village.

When the door opened, Grievous killed two more guards, alerting the Wookiee civilians. Some of them drew their bowcaster weapons and began to fire. Grievous deflected the bolts with two of his lightsabers, and instead of killing more Wookiees, ran straight to Grakchawwaa's palace at the top of the tree.

* * *

><p>Wookiee King Grakchawwaa sat on his throne when a Wookiee guard came and announced that an intruder was attempting to break into the palace. Grakchawwaa's war-like nature compelled him to proclaim a battle against the intruder. He stood up and banged his scepter, which doubled as a war pike, on the ground, just as two beams of light appeared through the door and cut it down. Grievous stood in the doorway, two lightsabers in hands.<p>

Grakchawwaa roared at Grievous, who understood the Wookiees' language. "Warrior or not, you must realize that you are doomed!"

Grakchawwaa's two guards began firing their bowcasters at Grievous. But the general charged at the guards, deflecting the bolts. Then he swung his lightsabers right through the Wookiees' heads. Then he turned to the king. "If I bring you to Count Dooku, I will be hailed by the entire Separatist alliance!"

Grakchawwaa lunged at Grievous with his war pike. Grievous tried to slice through the pike, but the king ducked and swung his pike right at Grievous' chest plates. The cyborg was thrown off his feet and landed on the ground with a hole in his left chest plate. Now he was angry. As Grakchawwaa prepared to bring his pike down again, Grievous grabbed it with his foot and rolled backwards, throwing the king against the wall and taking his weapon.

While Grakchawwaa tried to recover from the hit, Grievous picked him up by the throat. As more guards came into the room, Grievous jumped out the window, with the king. The Wookiee village became a sea of roars. Their king had been kidnapped!

* * *

><p>When Grievous landed on the ground with his hostage, the shock absorbers in his legs prevented him from sustaining damage. Grakchawwaa, however, had fallen unconscious. Grievous didn't waste any time. He swung the Wookiee over the seat of the wheel bike and manned the controls. His personal starfighter was still in the base's hanger. If he got past the Jedi and into his ship, he could escape with his captive.<p>

He revved the engine and sped off towards the base.

* * *

><p>The two AT-RTs ran towards Rwookrrorro as fast as they could. Their pilots were beginning to get anxious. "I sense something disturbing," commented Ki-Adi Mundi.<p>

"Grievous has done something bad," agreed Mace Windu. "We need to hurry and stop him!"

* * *

><p>Back at the base, the clones were doing everything they could to contain the beasts. Captain Rex was overlooking the placement of electro-mines around the swamp. The mines would electrocute the creatures until they were dead. Hopefully that would be enough to stop them.<p>

"Put your backs into it, boys!" yelled Rex. "They're coming!"

Star trooper Spark set a mine on the ground and turned it on. "Charges are set, sir!"

"Good. Round up our best snipers and tell them to shoot those creatures from a distance."

"Yes, sir!" Spark activated his wrist comlink. "Boys, get your sniper rifles ready. They're on their way." He turned off the comlink and asked his captain "Sir, if the original creatures are interbreeding, would that mean the little ones have or don't have those special characteristics?"

Rex's brain suddenly started whirring. "What do you mean? You think that some of the creatures don't have those mutations? You know…. Spark! You're right! That means it'll be easier to destroy some creatures than the others!"

"Yes," grunted Yoda as he joined them. "But harder to destroy some creatures, it will be, than others."

Suddenly, a clone pointed. "Here they come!"

They were impossible to miss. Over a dozen monsters all running (or slithering) in one direction, as though they were hoping to free themselves from the confines of their prisonlike lab. "Keep a safe distance away!" ordered Rex. "Don't shoot until they hit the mines!" After a few seconds, the first creatures stepped on the electro-mines and were engulfed by lightning. "Open fire!"

Three AT-TE walkers and two HAV-A6 Juggernaut tanks appeared from the brush. The walkers' four forward lasers and heavy cannon turrets fired, along with the tanks' two double blasters and grenade launchers. Sniper fire erupted from the treetops and the clones fired their blasters. All of the creatures were caught in a deadly crossfire. Some of them were killed instantly, but all of the others were quicker or had tougher hides.

Some of them became aware of the danger and turned toward the source of the attacks. A rancor that had apparently invincible skin growled and stalked towards an AT-TE. Despite the amount of fire it was taking, it didn't stop. It grabbed the walker's side leg and pulled it off, but the walker still stood. The rancor swung the severed leg at the command cabin and blew it open, releasing the stored pressure and killing the pilot. One of the dogs leaped at an juggernaut and began clawing at the front wheel. But the tank simply moved forward and crushed the creature under its giant wheel.

Yoda, seeing that they couldn't stand a chance, used the Force to touch every creature's mind and calm them down. It worked. All of the animals had stopped attacking and were instead staring at the Jedi. But not even Yoda could stop them all at once. A snake regained its control and dove towards Yoda. The Jedi jumped to avoid the creature's jaws, and broke his concentration. Soon all of the creatures were attacking Yoda!

Yoda jumped up a tree, and stood in the branches. But the creatures knocked the tree down, and Yoda fell out, with the tree about to land on top of him!

* * *

><p>Grievous was driving his wheel bike at its maximum speed. He needed to get back to his fighter and bring Grakchawwaa to Dooku. If he didn't hurry, the Wookiee would wake up or the Republic would destroy the base with his ship inside.<p>

But what he hadn't counted on was two Jedi in his way. They were Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi riding AT-RTs in his direction! "Jedi! You have interfered in my affairs for the last time!" He pulled a trigger and the two blasters mounted on the other side of the hoop wheels fired at the walkers. But the Jedi used their lightsabers to deflect the shots, one of which hit one of the wheels, causing the vehicle to sway.

"Surrender, Grievous!" yelled Mace. "Come quietly and perhaps the Senate will be merciful!"

"I surrender to no one!" replied Grievous. "You, however, shall be my prized kills!" He pushed some buttons on his console and the bike's four retractable legs popped out. The bike wasn't as fast in walking mode as it was in driving mode, but it would have to do. He charged towards the Jedi with determination. He charged closer and closer, but he didn't show any sign of stopping.

When he was too close, Mace yelled to Ki-Adi "Move!" The two walkers dodged out of the way, while the bike jumped over them and ran towards the base. The two Jedi turned around and ran after their quarry.

The chase was on!

* * *

><p>Captain Rex was surveying the damage from the battle. There were five dead creatures in the clearing, and only one AT-TE was destroyed. But when the clones moved the tree that had fallen on Yoda, the Jedi was nowhere to be found. All the creatures, for some reason, had run away.<p>

Spark approached him and reported "Captain, we've searched the forest, and there's no trace of the Jedi."

"That's not good enough, trooper," replied Rex. "He has to be somewhere on this planet. Set up the scanners!"

"Yes, sir."

As the clone departed, Rex's wristcom beeped. He pushed the answer button. "This is Rex."

"Captain!" said Mace Windu's voice. "We've engaged Grievous. He's kidnapped the Wookiee king and is headed your way!"

"Well, we've got problems of our own," replied Rex not surprisingly. "_We've_ engaged those _creatures_. _They've_ kidnapped the _general_ and are headed _your_ way!"

"Send some tanks after them," ordered Windu. "If the king dies, we're all in trouble."

* * *

><p>Somewhere else in the galaxy, another plot was unfolding. Serenno was another jungle planet, like Kashyyyk. But, unlike Kashyyyk, Serenno was the home of the Separatist leader and Sith Lord, Count Dooku. The count resided in a large palace on top of a cliff. Dooku rarely ever left his home, even to attend to his own Senate meetings.<p>

Dooku was now looking out a large window behind his desk that overlooked his expansive garden. He was getting anxious. He hadn't heard from General Grievous or Nuvo Vindi in days. Had their mission failed? Had the Jedi come? Had their creations gotten loose? He couldn't answer any of these questions until he heard from them.

Suddenly, the communicator at his desk beeped. At first he thought it was Grievous, but when he answered the call, an entirely different hologram appeared. This was a person clad in a black cloak, with a hood that completely concealed his eyes. "My lord." Dooku kneeled before his master.

"Lord Tyrannus," rasped Darth Sidious. "Have you done as I commanded?"

"The last I heard, General Grievous and Nuvo Vindi had set up their lab and were creating their creatures."

"Then why are you so anxious, my friend? Has something gone wrong?"

Dooku chose his words carefully. Darth Sidious could sense his feelings, even if he was on a completely different planet. If he said something wrong, he would pay dearly. "I have not been able to make any contact with them for a few days. I am confident this is merely a minor setback. I have sent another fleet to Kashyyyk in case the Republic attacked."

Sidious' only visible feature was his mouth, which was now frowning. "If you fail me, Count, perhaps I will have to turn to others to carry out my plan." With that, the holoprojector turned off.

Dooku frowned at the now gone hologram. He knew that if he didn't help Sidious with his plot, Dooku could be released from service, which would mean death for him. The operation on Kashyyyk had to succeed. So he typed in a frequency on the holotransmitter. This time a hologram of a Neimoidian appeared. He was Lushros Dofine, captain of Grievous' personal flagship, the _Invisible Hand._

Dofine almost jumped when he saw Dooku. "Count Dooku! What a pleasant surprise. We, ah, have almost arrived at Kashyyyk."

Dooku sensed the nervousness in the captain's normally quaky voice. "How far is 'almost there'?"

Dofine gulped. "Uh, about five parsecs to go. Take one or two. Or give."

Dooku wasn't pleased. "Do you realize that if the Kashyyyk operation fails, we are twice as close to failure as before? Find out why Grievous and Vindi have not contacted me. And, if necessary, destroy all Republic troops in your way."

"Y-yes, my lord. Ah, as you wish, sir." Dofine cut off the transmission before Dooku could chastise him any further.

A battle droid pilot turned around and spoke. "Sir? According to navigation, we aren't even ten parsecs from Kashyyyk."

"Yes, I know."

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, over another planet, the Jedi war cruiser <em>Vigilance<em> hovered in space. This ship was commanded by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. He worked with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta girl with orange skin and white markings, plus two montrals and three lekku head-tails. She had recently celebrated her 17th birthday. All three were on the bridge when they received a distress signal from Admiral Kilian on Kashyyyk.

Anakin contacted Kilian via hologram and spoke. "Admiral, I take it the mission to Kashyyyk has been a success so far."

"So far," replied Kilian. "We have foiled a Separatist plot and General Windu has engaged Grievous. However, experimental Separatist weapons are now loose on Kashyyyk and are wreaking havoc on the Wookiees. Also, we believe Separatist reinforcements are on their way. I was hoping you could come and give us some support."

"We're on our way, Admiral," said Obi-Wan. After the transmission ended, he stroked his beard, deep in thought. "What kind of weapons can independently cause mass destruction?"

Anakin chuckled. "I think it's obvious," he joked. "Grievous is starting a rancor farm!"

Ahsoka giggled, despite herself. Obi-Wan wasn't as amused. "Very funny, Anakin. Admiral, let's get underway. The sooner I can prove Anakin wrong, the sooner I get my winnings."

* * *

><p>A rancor roared as it saw two Wookiee hunters approach it, bowcasters at the ready. They opened fire, and blaster bolts chipped the rancor's hide. As blood began to spill, the beast grabbed the two Wookiees and stuck them into its mouth. When it finished its meal, it stalked towards Rwookrrorro, with a giant snake and a dog creature in tow.<p>

Little did they know that Master Yoda was riding on the rancor's back.

* * *

><p>Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi were closing in on General Grievous fast. So Grievous decided to take a different route to the base. It was a dense path through the swamps. At the right moment, his wheel bike made a sharp turn and ran into the swamps. The Jedi, however, had anticipated this maneuver, and ran after him on their AT-RTs.<p>

In addition to being able to cut through the foliage, Grievous' wheel bike could climb over fallen trees with ease. The Jedi walkers, however, couldn't run through such terrain, and had to slow down while the Jedi used the Force to move their obstacles.

Mace grunted as he struggled to move a fallen tree. "That fiend! We should have predicted something like this."

"I'm afraid we may have lost him," said Ki-Adi sorrowfully. "Perhaps we should go the other way to the base and hope we can intercept him."

Grievous looked back at them and laughed. "You lose, Jedi!" He laughed again even more until he coughed.

"No," said Mace. "We'll catch him." He lifted the fallen tree and, with Ki-Adi's help, threw it into the wheel bike. To their enjoyment (and Grievous' anger), the bike rolled over and crashed into the swamp, with Grievous flying into a tree.

When Grievous got up, he saw two lightsabers pointed at his faceplate. "You Jedi scum."

"Surrender, Grievous," ordered Mace. "There's nowhere to run. Your plot has failed."

"Come quietly," added Ki-Adi, "and the Jedi may only take your lightsabers."

Grievous growled. "Over my dead body."

Mace smirked. "That's the idea. I've been waiting a long time for this."

"I bet you have."

Both Jedi thrust their sabers forward, but Grievous rolled out of the way and his arm split lengthwise. He took out a lightsaber in each hand, turning him into the dreaded four-armed foe. He thrust out his four lightsabers at the Jedi, but they were met by two other lightsabers.

* * *

><p>Captain Rex had dispatched attack groups to kill the loose creatures. Each group consisted of a clone trooper-carrying LAATi gunship, a tank-carrying LAAT/c dropship, and a Y-Wing bomber. "Hopefully that will be enough to stop those creatures," he had said. "Have you found any sign of Master Yoda yet?"

All of the clones said no. No one knew where the Jedi had gone.

"Well, keep looking. I want to know what happened to him. Is General Kenobi on his way?"

The clones didn't know, but they were hopeful.

* * *

><p>By sheer coincidence, both the Separatist and Republic fleets came out of hyperspace at the same time, and right next to each other.<p>

On the bridges of the _Vigilance_ and _Invisible Hand_, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Lushros Dofine yelled the same order.

"Pick your targets and fire at will!"

Shots erupted from both ships. Although the Republic cruisers had effective turrets and shields, the _Invisible Hand_ and the Separatist frigates were better equipped. The _Vigilance_ rocked from side to side as it was pounded by lasers. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," said Anakin Skywalker.

Obi-Wan though for a second and ordered "Spread out! If we can divert their firepower to individual targets, we'll stand a better chance."

"Yes, sir," replied Admiral Yularen. "You all heard the general, break up formation!"

On the _Invisible Hand_, Dofine saw that the Republic ships were turning away. He wasn't about to let the Jedi escape. "All ships pursue those star destroyers. We will stay on the Jedi."

Separatist frigates broke away from the group to follow each individual cruiser, just as Kenobi had planned. Now it was time to accelerate his plan. "Send out the fighters to protect the relief ships. If things are as bad down there as Admiral Kilian says, we'll need all the power we can muster."

Anakin knew what that meant. "Ahsoka, come on." He ran towards the hanger bay with his Padawan in tow.

A clone's voice rang through the hanger via loudspeaker: "All personnel man your battle stations! All gunners report to turret control! All pilots board your ships! Attention fire crew! Main engine 3 has caught fire! Shut down the engine and load the coolants! All personnel…"

As clone troopers ran about, Anakin and Ahsoka Tano got into their Jedi Interceptors. The two fighters were similar, with an elongated cockpit, mandibles extending from the front of the two wings, an astromech droid socket on the right wing, and four opening solar panels on the top and bottom of each wing. But Anakin had painted his fighter yellow, while Ahsoka kept her fighter the standard red color.

The two ships took off, and several ARC-170 clone starfighters followed. They were much larger and had six wings and three cockpits. "Gold Squadron," said Anakin via headset, "Stay in formation behind me. We're going on a direct assault on one of those frigates."

"Copy, Gold Leader," responded one of the clone pilots known as Broadside.

As they flew through the dorsal hanger bay doors, Anakin pulled his control throttle to the left. His ship turned until it was pointed directly at one of the frigates. The other pilots followed. Anakin then pushed a button that increased the thrusters and made the ship go faster, as though charging at the ship.

"Uh, Master?" asked Ahsoka. "Are you sure about this?"

"Don't worry, Snips," replied her master. "I've done this a lot of times. Those droid pilots never learn."

As the ships grew closer, the battle droids on the bridge of the frigate became worried. "Uh, sir?" began one of the droids, "There's a Jedi charging us. He's got a squadron following him."

The droid captain ordered "Divert all shields to the starboard side. All turrets stay locked on those fighters." The droid pilots began adjusting controls.

All of the blaster turrets on the starboard side began firing at the clones. "We're taking heavy fire!" exclaimed a clone.

"Evasive maneuvers!" yelled Anakin. He twisted his ship to avoid being hit, and the others did the same. They continued to fly towards the frigate – more specifically, the bridge. Both the droids and the clones expected them to veer off soon, but they didn't. Anakin could sense that the clones wanted to turn away from the ship before they collided, so he ordered "Stay on course! We're going right under the bridge."

On the bridge, all of the droids were looking at the fighters that were getting progressively closer. Just when it seemed the fighters would crash into the bridge, they all disappeared!

"Huh? Where'd they go?" asked the captain.

A droid standing by the window turned to its captain and noticed something else. "Behind you!"

"What the…?" The droid never finished. The Republic fighters had flown under the bridge, turned around, and fired at the port side – the unshielded side. The bridge exploded in a burst of flames, and the entire ship began to go down.

"Wow," commented Ahsoka. "That's the first time we've done that in which no one was destroyed."

"Like I said," replied Anakin. "Humans are smart. Droids are dumb."

Ahsoka's astromech droid suddenly began beeping in anger. "Don't worry, R7. I'm sure he was talking about those other droids. Right, Master?"

"Of course, Snips."

* * *

><p>General Grievous, Mace Windu, and Ki-Adi Mundi circled each other. Grievous had all four of his lightsabers spinning rapidly like colored buzz saws. The two Jedi simply pointed their weapons at him. They all waited for a minute, then Grievous sprang forward. The Jedi held their lightsabers tight as they were caught in the spinning lasers.<p>

Ki-Adi pulled back to swing, but the swing was met with two of Grievous' blades. At the same time, Mace tried to push his lightsaber into Grievous' chest, but the cyborg stepped backward to avoid the blow. Grievous then swung each lightsaber out away from his chest. The Jedi were able to block, but Grievous was strong enough to force his arms all the way out and create an opening for him to dart through.

Grievous ran towards the nearest tree and, using his clawed hands and feet, climbed up. Before the Jedi could give chase, he began cutting off the branches of the tree and they came raining down on top of the Jedi. They used the Force to protect themselves, however, and Mace had an idea. "Cover me!" While Ki-Adi tried in vain to protect both him and his friend, Mace used his lightsaber to slice through the base of the tree and push it over. The tree fell and the middle came to rest on a log, like a lever. Grievous went down, and the Jedi went up.

Mace and Ki-Adi somersaulted and brought their lightsabers down on Grievous. Grievous block the blades with one of his own, then he curled himself into a fetal position and kicked out with both legs. While Ki-Adi was thrown away, Mace sensed the move coming and stepped back before he could receive as much damage. He lunged at Grievous and fought him alone.

At first, Grievous tried swinging each lightsaber one at a time in different directions to confuse Mace. But the Jedi could calculate where his own lightsaber could block multiple swings. Then Grievous swung all four weapons at the same time in the same direction, hoping his blow would be stronger than Mace could block. It was.

Mace slipped and fell off the log, his lightsaber rolling away. Grievous cackled down at his prey. "And now, Windu, prepare to become one with the Force!" He jumped up and was about to land on Mace when Ki-Adi suddenly used the Force to throw him high into the air. In his confusion, Grievous dropped all of his lightsabers into the swamp. He landed dazed and unarmed!

Mace and Ki-Adi stood over Grievous, threatening him with their weapons. Mace smirked. "You overestimate your abilities, General. And now you will pay for your ignorance."

"Now you have no weapons, and no means of escape," added Ki-Adi.

"That's what you think," said Grievous. He lifted his arm and fired three explosive charges into the air, aimed to explode in the trees. When they did, the Jedi covered their eyes against the bright explosion, and when they uncovered them, they saw that the falling branches were going to bury King Grakchawwaa!

The Jedi used the Force to move the branches away from the king, but they had fallen for Grievous' trick. When they turned around, they saw that one of the AT-RTs was destroyed, and the other was missing.

* * *

><p>Back in space, a full-scale battle was raging between the Republic and Separatist forces. Anakin Skywalker and Gold Squad had already destroyed two frigates, and Lushros Dofine had noticed the pattern. He was trying to calculate a way to protect his ships from all angles. "All frigates form up around me and engage the command cruiser!"<p>

The frigates all broke off from their individual fights and formed a shield around the _Invisible Hand_. Then they all turned towards the _Vigilance_. Obi-Wan Kenobi noticed this and ordered "All ships form up and target those cruisers! We need to give the ground troops more time!" All of the Republic cruisers turned their turbolasers towards the Separatist force and fired.

Dofine saw the lasers. "Angle all deflector shields away from the _Hand_! We'll be more protected that way!"

One of the battle droids announced "Sir, we're picking up a transmission from General Grievous."

"Finally! The general is all right! Count Dooku will be pleased. Let the transmission through." A hologram of General Grievous on a running Republic walker appeared at his console.

"Captain, I'm trapped at the Wookiee capital. Vindi is dead and the base has been overrun by the Jedi. I need you to send a shuttle to pick me up."

"Of course, sir. We have engaged Republic forces in space, but I will try to create an opening for your escape."

* * *

><p>From his fighter, Anakin saw a small <em>Sheathipede-<em>class shuttle fly out of the hanger of the _Invisible Hand_. "Master, there's a Separatist shuttle flying down to the planet's surface! It may be going to pick up Grievous."

Ahsoka Tano saw it, too. "I'll follow it!" She pushed the throttle and turned her fighter around to follow the shuttle.

"Ahsoka, be careful!" warned Obi-Wan. "They probably _want_ you to follow it. Fire warning shots but don't destroy it until you get a visual on Grievous. And watch out for any enemy fighters following you."

"I can handle it!" shouted the Padawan angrily. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

Obi-Wan couldn't see it, but he could sense that Anakin was in deep, sad thought. He knew why, but Ahsoka didn't.

* * *

><p>When General Grievous thought he was far enough away from the Jedi, he slowed down his walker and waited for his shuttle. "What's taking them so long?" he asked himself. "Perhaps I should consider replacing Dofine." Not one minute later, he could see the round outline of a Separatist shuttle grow from the sky.<p>

Grievous' relief was short-lived, however, when he saw the outline of a Jedi interceptor following the shuttle. When the shuttle landed and the rear doors opened, Grievous ran inside – straight into the cockpit. The pilot began to speak. "General! Count Dooku has been so worried…"

Grievous threw the pilot out of the seat and he himself took the controls. "The Jedi are after us!" He immediately took off and began to fly away. But he didn't know that he was right where Ahsoka Tano wanted him. She began firing at the shuttle, but Grievous swerved out of the way to avoid the lasers.

Grievous was a reckless pilot, especially when he had passengers. The two battle droids were thrown this way and that as the shuttle jerked. "General!" exclaimed one droid, "You're going too fast! We're all going to die!"

"Not if you can hold on!" snapped Grievous.

Ahsoka watched carefully as the shuttle danced in and out of range. If she could get Grievous to hold still, she could lock onto him and that would be the end of him. But Grievous' maneuvers were too fast. Swerve right. Swerve left. Barrel roll. Corkscrew. Swerve right. Swerve left. Barrel roll. Corkscrew. Swerve right…

Hang on! It was a pattern! "I have you now!" Anticipating Grievous' next maneuver, she fired at a certain point…

And chipped the shuttle's wing!

"Masters!" exclaimed Ahsoka, "I've shot him down! He's going to crash just outside the swamp!"

* * *

><p>Alarms blared and lights flashed inside the Separatist shuttle. Without the shuttle's only wing, it didn't have any steering ability or weapons. One of the droids asked nervously "Uh, sir? What do we do?"<p>

Grievous knew what he had to do. He had to jump at the precise moment to avoid being destroyed in the explosion soon to follow. He turned and left the cockpit.

"General?"

Grievous opened the back hatch and watched as the ground grew nearer.

"Sir, what are you doing?"

He didn't answer, but instead jumped out of the shuttle.

"Unbelievable!" exclaimed the other droid. "He committed suicide!"

"Roger, roger," replied the second droid.

At that moment the shuttle exploded, and the droids were gone. What was more; Grievous was trapped, now with _three_ Jedi to face, along with a very angry Wookiee.

Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, and King Grakchawwaa approached Grievous from the front. Ahsoka Tano landed her fighter and approached from behind. She ignited her green and yellow lightsabers, and Mace and Ki-Adi ignited their purple and blue lightsabers. Grievous, in turn, took out his own lightsabers.

Or he would have if he hadn't lost them in the swamp!

"And so," said Ahsoka, "the great general falls to the 'child.'"

Grievous knew that his only chance of escape was Ahsoka's interceptor. But he needed to get past Ahsoka without being struck from behind by the other Jedi. And if he did manage to hijack the fighter, the astromech droid copilot would probably disable the ship to prevent his escape. And if he destroyed the droid, he wouldn't be able to get onto the _Invisible Hand_.

There was nothing he could do. He was forced to do something he never thought he would do.

He put his hands in the air and said "I surrender."

* * *

><p>A Republic gunship had come to pick up the Jedi, Wookiee, and prisoner and brought General Grievous back to the base, his arms and legs tied together with electrobonds. After that, Ki-Adi Mundi and Ahsoka Tano took King Grakchawwaa back to Rwookrrorro.<p>

But when they got there, they were in for a terrible shock. The mutated creatures were attacking the city! Grakchawwaa roared in anger and helplessness as he watched his people killed by these Separatist creations. There were several Republic gunships, tanks, and bombers trying to kill them, but they met with little success as they were destroyed.

Grakchawwaa roared again and hopped out of the gunship, charging a canine monster. Despite the Jedi's warnings, he jumped onto the creature's back and began beating and tearing at it with his claws. But the pain caused it to buck and the Wookiee was thrown off onto the ground. Then the dog moved in for the kill.

But just as the creature was about to take the king in its mouth, it was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown against the Wroshyr tree. Master Yoda suddenly leaped down to stand in front of the king, lightsaber in hand. As a snake slithered up to them, Yoda leaped into the air and threw his lightsaber into its mouth, slicing it from the inside.

After that creature fell, Yoda jumped around to face more creatures. Some of them he could slice through easily, while others were harder. The creatures with invincible skin wouldn't give in to Yoda's weapon, but he used the Force to either throw them against the tree or choke them to death. He also made sure he jumped off of each creature as he sliced so he wouldn't be killed by the poisonous fluids some of them had.

What Yoda didn't realize was that he was being watched. From behind the tree, a Trandoshan called Nobit was hiding, preparing to fire a heavy blaster at the Jedi. He hissed as the weapon loaded. "My firssst Jedi kill." He fired the blaster, but Yoda dodged the bolt. Nobit fired several more shots, but Yoda dodged them, too. The Jedi was running towards the Trandoshan, who was beginning to panic. Finally, Yoda was upon him and used his lightsaber to slice through the barrel of the blaster, then Nobit's right arm, and then his right eye.

Nobit fell backwards and squealed in pain, using his remaining hand to cover the burning scar over his now-empty eye socket. As Yoda leapt in for the kill, another dog creature pounced and hit the Jedi in mid-air. While Yoda was busy fighting the dog, Nobit stood up and ran away. Being a Trandoshan, his arm would eventually grow back, and then he would have his revenge.

Yoda continued to fight the creatures while defending Grakchawwaa. Then he came face-to-face with the hardest creature of all. It was a rancor with nimble legs that had burrowed out of the ground under Yoda. When the Jedi Master saw that the rancor had invincible skin, he and the creature exchanged a series of leaps. Finally, Yoda threw his lightsaber into its mouth, as he had done with the snake. But poisonous fluids spilled out of the rancor's mouth. Incredibly, the Jedi used the Force to divert the fluids at all of the other creatures, killing them.

The battle was won.

* * *

><p>Back on Serenno, Count Dooku was feeling uneasy. Lushros Dofine had just contacted him to report that, in addition to the deaths of Nuvo Vindi and the experiments, Grievous had been captured and the Separatists were forced to retreat. Now Dooku was waiting anxiously for the impending transmission from Darth Sidious, demanding to hear of the results of the mission.<p>

And of the Count's failure.

Finally the transmission came. "Well, Count? I hope you have good news," rasped Sidious.

Dooku stayed calm. "I'm afraid the base was overrun by the Jedi, and Dr. Vindi is dead."

Under his hood, Sidious frowned. "And the General?"

Dooku was afraid of what would happen when he said it. "General Grievous was captured by the Jedi."

Sidious suddenly pointed down at his apprentice and the holoprojector deepened and amplified his voice. "You fool! You have wasted our resources on nothing! I'm afraid I will have to proceed with my plot without you."

"But, my lord," protested Dooku. "This failure wasn't my fault. I can prove myself if you gave me another…"

"You had your chance, Count! I don't need you or your creatures. I have my own creation to be set loose. And I know just who can help me."

With that, the hologram disappeared.

* * *

><p>Back on Kashyyyk, everyone had gathered at Rwookrrorro to celebrate this victory. King Grachawwaa had planned a ceremony to honor the Jedi and clones. But before the ceremony, Obi-Wan Kenobi pulled Anakin Skywalker aside. "Anakin, it's time to tell Ahsoka the truth. This victory shows that she is capable of success without you."<p>

Anakin sighed. "All right, Master." He then approached Ahsoka while she was repairing damage to her starfighter. "Ahsoka…"

The Padawan stopped working to face her master.

"I should have told you this long ago. Obi-Wan and I are being transferred to the Outer Rim Sieges."

Ahsoka's face betrayed her excitement. "The Outer Rim Sieges! This should be fun!"

Anakin sighed. "You're not coming with us." When Ahsoka's expression turned from excited to shocked, he explained. "The Council feels it would be better if you stayed closer to Coruscant. You will help command operations in the Core."

"But we need each other!" protested Ahsoka. "Master and apprentice are supposed to stick together."

"It won't be forever. Once we're rotated out, we'll be together again. Okay?"

Ahsoka nodded meekly, and then she hugged Anakin. Anakin hugged her back, knowing he would be finally letting go of her. They would be reunited someday, hopefully under happy circumstances.

* * *

><p>With the last of the battle droids and mutated experiments destroyed, the Republic forces began to load everything back into the cruisers, preparing to join another battle.<p>

Then King Grakchawwaa came and spoke to Yoda. For those who didn't understand Wookiee language, Ahsoka translated.

"I cannot thank all of you enough, but I, and my people, owe Master Yoda our lives. If the Separatists ever return to Kashyyyk, I will be proud to fight next to you."


	6. Prison Break

Prison Break (Ep. #6, Prod. #8)

* * *

><p>General Grievous captured! Following a humiliating failure on the planet Kashyyyk, the commander of the Separatist Droid Army has been apprehended by the Jedi and locked up in a high-security cell in the Republic prison on Coruscant.<p>

With the loss of their most powerful warrior, the Separatists are in disarray, and the Clone Army is dominating. All are aware that the war will end soon, with the Republic victorious.

But not everyone is thrilled by this prospect….

* * *

><p>The Senate rotunda resembled a large bowl with thousands of pods lining the walls for the delegates representing each individual star system in the Galactic Republic. In the center of the room, rising high above the floor stood the personal pod of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. In this grand chamber, the Senate debated and voted on many bills to benefit the citizens of the Republic.<p>

"Order! Order!" exclaimed Mas Amedda, the Senate chairman. The entire Senate stopped talking and waited for Palpatine to speak.

"Senators, the votes for the new bill to cut public spending have been tallied, and it has failed." Upon hearing Palpatine's announcement, most of the Senators clapped and cheered. The others looked disappointed. "We shall not be cutting funding for insurance and child education to support the war effort."

This bill had been introduced by the representatives of the Trade Federation, Banking Clan, and Kaminoan cloning facilities to cut spending for education, childcare, and insurance to support the war. The representatives profited from the war and didn't want it to end.

But a group of Senators, including Padmé Amidala of Naboo, have been fighting this bill in an effort to end the war. Because she was such a powerful delegate, most of the Senate sided with her.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was walking through the archive library in the Jedi Temple. Ever since her master, Anakin Skywalker, was transferred to the Outer Rim Sieges, Ahsoka was feeling very lonely. But nothing could cheer her up better than an afternoon browsing the library's vast collection of holobooks.<p>

The only problem was that the Jedi Archives were the largest collection of information in the entire galaxy, and it was therefore impossible to find anything specific. That was why she approached a Jedi Master to ask him for help. "Excuse me!" she called.

The Jedi was sitting in a hoverchair, and as soon as he heard Ahsoka's voice, he began to drive away.

"Master?"

No response.

Ahsoka sighed in frustration. "Jedi Master Demood Elpirc, I need your help!"

The hoverchair stopped and its occupant sighed in defeat. "What do you want?" he asked in a low, gruff voice.

"Can you tell me where I can find a book on starcruiser engineering?"

Demood Elpirc turned around to face Ahsoka. He was a middle-aged human, but his skin was slightly melted, giving him the appearance of a man who should have been long dead. His hair was long and tangled and he wore loose-fitting Jedi robes. His most distinguishing feature; his legs had been cut off at the knees.

Demood replied, "There are some engineering books on the second floor, shelf G."

"Thank you, Master," Ahsoka bowed.

Demood waved her off and drove away in his chair, leaving Ahsoka standing dumbfounded. She had known that Demood Elpirc was in a hoverchair, but she had never met him.

"You'll have to excuse Master Elpirc, dear," said a soothing, but cracked, voice. Ahsoka turned around to see Jedi Master Jocasta Nu, the librarian. She wore a gold-and-purple dress and her grey hair was pinned up in a bun. "Ever since his unfortunate accident, he has never been quite the same." She shook her head and walked to the main desk, carrying several holobooks.

Ahsoka followed her. "What happened to him, anyway? I never actually heard."

"During the Battle of Geonosis, Master Elpirc was in charge of a vital Republic command post. No one knows how, but the building was blown up and the clones tragically killed. Master Elpirc was found dying and he was taken to a medical center.

"His skin was melted somewhat by the heat of the fire, and the medical droids were forced to amputate both of his legs. After that, he never left the Jedi Temple, and he plans to spend the rest of his days depressed."

"Sounds like he was one of the weaker souls," commented Ahsoka.

"Excuse me?"

"War affects everyone differently. Only beings with stronger souls survive with their sanity. That's what my Master always says." Then she added sadly, "I mean, what Master Skywalker used to say."

"Ah, yes," replied Jocasta. "The true cost of war is not lives, but souls."

Ahsoka began to walk away. "I should be studying. Thank you!"

"You're quite welcome, dear," answered Jocasta to her back.

* * *

><p>The Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center was one of the highest-security prisons in the galaxy. It was a tower with several spherical chambers extending from the sides. It was set far from the main governmental district of Coruscant.<p>

On the inside, the prison cells were depressed into the wall of the tall tower, and there was no floor connecting the cells. To access the cells, the guards would have to fly to them in hoverpods that were docked in the central command center in the center of the room. The cell doors were ray shielded, so they would only be deactivated if the guards unlocked them with a security console or if there was a power loss.

This layout made it nearly impossible to escape the prison. Even if a prisoner deactivated the shields, the only way to leave the cell was a suicidal fall of nearly twenty-five meters minimum. Also, the situation of the command center allowed a clear view of all of the cells, so a guard would notice immediately if a prisoner was escaping.

The spherical side chambers housed the high-security cells and interrogation rooms. These specialized cells were guarded at all times and the prisoners were suspended in an energy field that caused pain with any movement aside from breathing. Also, there were cameras and neurosensors situated throughout the room that would alert the guards if the prisoners made any attempt to escape. The energy field projectors would also fire bolts of electricity at the prisoners if necessary.

Several Separatist leaders were being held in different cells throughout the complex, but only one high-security cell was reserved for a Separatist in particular; General Grievous. After his capture on Kashyyyk, he was escorted to Coruscant where he would be imprisoned until his trial. But everyone knew that the jury, no matter who was in it, would find Grievous guilty, and sentence him for life.

And that's only if he was lucky.

Being a cyborg, Grievous did not need food or medical care, but his cybernetic implants and life support systems could only withstand so much stress before they shut off. And the neuro-sensors counted all of his thoughts of anger as dangerous. Every time that happened, it meant another dose of painful electricity, which could be more lethal to droids than to organics.

In short, Grievous knew he would soon be dead, and he was far too ashamed to let that happen. When he got out of this mess, he will kill those wretched Jedi, slowly and painfully. But he had to push those thoughts out of his mind quickly, though, before…

Grievous let out an inhuman scream as he was tortured with more electricity. After four long seconds, the pain stopped, and the general was left panting and sparking. Then, to his distaste, the three ray shields that guarded his cell deactivated to expose his next Jedi interrogator.

Oppo Rancisis slithered into the cell. "Good day, General."

Grievous growled. "Oppo Rancisis, isn't it? Sorry that we have never met before today."

"As am I, Grievous," replied the Jedi. "As am I." Master Rancisis was a very old Jedi Council member. At almost 200 years of age, only Yoda, his own former Master, was older. He was a Thisspiassian, a serpentine species with green, scaly skin, bushy white beards, four arms, and tails that were up to two meters long.

Oppo was dearly devoted to the Jedi Order and their traditions, and was an adept Force-user. He rarely ever used his lightsaber, preferring to orchestrate attacks from a command center, or fight personally using the Force. He was also one of the few Jedi in history to master the art of battle meditation, which allowed him to see the outcome of any current battle, and even alter the minds of warriors to shift the battle in his favor.

"Now, General," he continued in his deep voice, "We wish to know where the Separatist bases are."

"You will never get any information from me!" replied Grievous defensively. "I am far too powerful for that!"

"There comes a limit with all power. A limit that can be exploited."

"You have no idea of the extent of my power. When I escape from this, this _madhouse_, you Jedi will all be sorry!" At that instant, Grievous was hit with more electricity.

"I do not wish to hurt you, General," stated Oppo, "But unless you cooperate, you shall suffer a far worse fate."

Grievous growled in anger, and then began to cough.

* * *

><p>At the Senate building, there was a celebration taking place. The victory over the new bill was a major leap in Senator Padmé Amidala's quest to end the war. In light of the occasion, she had invited several of her fellow senators to her office for a drink.<p>

Among the dignitaries were Bail Organa of Alderaan, Mon Mothma of Chandrila, and Chi Eekway Papanoida of Pantora. Padmé's loyal protocol droid, C-3PO, entered the office carrying a tray with four glasses and a wine bottle on it.

"This is blue blossom," explained Padmé as C-3PO poured the drinks. "A special wine made from many of the tropical fruits and spices found on Naboo."

"How delightful!" commented Mon as she took a sip. "Thank you, my dear."

"I should be thanking all of you for your support in defeating this bill," replied Padmé.

"We all believe in peace," said Bail. "Soon, this war will be over."

"And that old witch Burtoni will never be able to show her hideous face again," added Chi Eekway.

"Oh, that too."

"I suppose we should also be thanking the Jedi who captured General Grievous," commented Mon.

"Yes, we should," agreed Bail. "With Grievous in prison, everyone feels we are close to winning the war."

"A toast, then," said Chi Eekway, raising her glass. The other senators did the same.

At that very minute, the doors to the office slid open and Ahsoka Tano rushed in, panting. "Senators! There's been an emergency!"

"What is it, Ahsoka?" asked Padmé, suddenly fearful.

"General Grievous has escaped from prison!"

* * *

><p>The Senators stared at Ahsoka as they digested this shocking turn of events. How could Grievous have escaped custody? "Are you sure of this?" asked Padmé, her voice quaking.<p>

"Yes," replied Ahsoka. "At least that's what I've heard. Not only did Grievous escape, so did several other Separatist leaders, bounty hunters, and other dangerous criminals! We're missing Wat Tambor, Poggle the Lesser, Boba Fett, and Aurra Sing!"

Bail put down his glass and held his head in his hand. "This is even worse! We've lost all of our war prisoners, and the Separatists are now one leap ahead of us."

Mon gasped softly as she considered another potential misfortune. "What if Halle Burtoni reintroduces his bill to the Senate, hoping they will change their minds?"

"That would be terrible!" exclaimed Padmé. "We only won the vote because Grievous was in custody. Now that he is loose again, the Senate will no doubt vote to continue the war!"

"And if Burtoni's bill passes, there won't be enough money to support the families of the Republic," added Bail. "She'll cut childcare, education, insurance, everything we need to survive so we can fund the war!"

"And then she gets all the money!" finished Chi Eekway angrily.

"We must find out who is behind this breakout," said Mon. "It's our only chance of ending the war."

"The Republic police are already working on the case," interrupted Ahsoka. "They've got a detective called, uh…" She paused as she searched her memory for the name. "Divo. Tan Divo."

"Tan Divo!" repeated the Senators all at the same time.

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"Absolutely not!" exclaimed Padmé. Inspector- Lieutenant Tan Divo had been in charge of investigating the murder of Rodian Senator Onoconda Farr, Padmé's long-time friend. Divo had chastised her for starting her own investigation, even criticizing her place as a politician. His "theory" had almost led to the arrest of Halle Burtoni, but when Padmé pointed out an overlooked detail, she discovered that Onoconda had been betrayed by his intern, Lolo Purs.

Divo was strictly to-the-book, extremely pompous, and over-confidant. Although his attitude allowed him to climb the police hierarchy, his success rate was disturbingly low.

Ahsoka continued, "Well, I can understand that. He's accusing the Jedi Order of the breakout!"

Bail was shocked. "What is his justification?"

Ahsoka began to tell of her meeting with this detective.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka had been walking through the Coruscant streets to get some fresh air. She felt she had spent enough time in the Archive library, and she enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Republic's capital city. It helped her to take her mind off of her troubles, especially her former master.<p>

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a voice calling out, "Excuse me! Excuse me, Master Jedi!" She turned around to see a short man in a dark blue police uniform stride up to her. He had flat, grey hair, red eyes, an asymmetrical face, and he sounded like he talked through his nose.

The man continued, "Are you not a Jedi?"

"Yes," replied Ahsoka. "I mean, no, I am. I mean… What do you want?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lieutenant Tan Divo of the Coruscant Security Force."

So he was a policeman. Ahsoka introduced herself. "I'm Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano."

"You seem a bit young for a Jedi," said Divo thoughtfully. "Are you sure you're qualified for the job?"

Ahsoka, taken aback, said, "Of course I'm capable! I'm a commander in the war, and I've been in countless battles and missions!"

"That is irrelevant, I'm afraid. Participation does not guarantee that you were a credit to them."

Ahsoka was now enraged. "Are you here to criticize a person you don't know, or are you here on other business?"

"As a matter of fact, I've come to inform you that your Jedi Order is now under investigation, and no Jedi is allowed to roam Coruscant freely without police supervision," stated Divo matter-of-factly.

Ahsoka stared at him furiously. "What! You can't do that!"

"I am a detective, youngling. I must obey the law. And as such, any suspicious person is placed under probation until the case in which they are involved has been closed."

"First of all, I'm _not_ a youngling! I'm a Padawan!"

"Is there a difference?"

Ahsoka didn't bother to answer. "Second of all, what are you accusing the Jedi, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy for over a thousand generations, of doing."

"Did you not hear? Perhaps you Jedi are too busy with your war to pay attention to the news, but there has been a prison break, and several prisoners escaped, including a certain Separatist in high security."

Ahsoka gasped. "General Grievous escaped?"

"Ah, so you are aware of him."

"For your information, I'm one of the Jedi who captured Grievous in the first place. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't be in prison."

"That is also irrelevant," stated Divo dismissively. "Just because you took part in his capture does not mean you helped any. You Jedi are far too near-sighted."

Ahsoka could have argued further, but instead she asked, "What makes you think a Jedi was responsible for the prison break?"

"You Jedi are the only ones with access to the inner workings of the prison. Therefore, only you could have caused such catastrophic damage."

"_That_ is your reasoning? Look who's being irrelevant now! What kind of a detective are you?"

Divo glared at Ahsoka and stepped towards her threateningly. "If you can't learn to behave yourself, youngling, I will be forced to detain you. Guards!"

At that moment, several Coruscant police droids appeared on BARC speeders with flashing blue-red lights and sirens. They dismounted their speeders and approached Ahsoka with their blasters drawn.

* * *

><p>"He tried to arrest you?" repeated Mon Mothma in disbelief. "How dare he!"<p>

"How did you escape?" asked Chi Eekway.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka drew her lightsabers and prepared to deflect the shots from the police droids. After a few seconds, she used the Force to leap over the droids and land behind them. Then she unleashed a Force blast that knocked both the droids and Divo to the ground.<p>

While they were distracted, Ahsoka hopped onto a BARC speeder and drove away at top speed. The droids and Divo, however, pursued her in the other BARC speeders and a police cruiser. They fired a few warning shots at her, though she was able to dodge them.

Ahsoka saw a traffic tunnel and angled the speeder towards it. Hopefully, she could lose the droids amidst the congestion of the Coruscant skyways. When she joined the procession of speeders, however, she found herself flying against the oncoming traffic, and once she was in the tunnel, she couldn't turn around. She would have to risk it.

It took all of Ahsoka's piloting skills to dodge the civilian speeders flying past her rapidly. To her annoyance, the police continued the pursuit. However, she knew that being a Jedi, she had the advantage. The droids wouldn't be quick enough to avoid the traffic flow and would crash. She smiled as she thought of the way to tell off that lousy lieutenant.

But as she turned a corner, she saw a bus headed right for her! It was so big, it filled almost the entire tunnel, and Ahsoka wouldn't be able to pass it without crashing. At the last minute, she jumped off the bike and landed on top of the bus. The bike crashed into the vehicle and exploded. Three of the police droids followed suit.

The four explosions damaged the bus enough to cause its repulsorlifts to fail and the oversized vehicle skidded against the bottom of the tunnel. As it came to a stop, the speeders behind it piled on top of each other, though some of the ones farther back stopped in time. Ahsoka bravely jumped from speeder to speeder in an effort to escape the tunnel.

The young Jedi didn't realize that Divo's cruiser and another BARC speeder were at the other end of the tunnel waiting to ambush her. As soon as she was out in the open, both vehicles closed in on her. At the top of her jump to the next civilian speeder, the BARC speeder flew into her and she was carried away hanging onto the vehicle's front prong.

As the droid pilot performed several maneuvers intended make Ahsoka lose her grip and fall, she managed to keep hold of the speeder and climbed up onto the pilot's seat and wrestled the police droid off, sending it falling to its destruction hundreds of meters below.

Ahsoka gained control of the speeder and turned it around so she was pointing straight at Divo's cruiser. She fired three shots from the speeder's blasters, and one of them hit the rear engine of the cruiser. Divo lost control, and he crashed onto the street below. He was alive, but the speeder was destroyed, and he was forced to watch in frustration as the fugitive Jedi flew away.

* * *

><p>"That's terrible!" exclaimed Padmé. "You must have been terrified!"<p>

"I was," replied Ahsoka. "Actually, I still am a bit scared."

Padmé hugged her friend. "Don't worry. You're welcome to stay in my apartment until we get this sorted out."

Ahsoka smiled. "Thanks, Padmé."

"But we have a problem there" interrupted Chi Eekway. "How will we settle this? Divo isn't going to let anyone help him."

"And he certainly won't solve the case on his own," added Mon.

Bail thought for a second. "Do you know exactly what happened?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No. All I know is that there were a lot of troops killed or wounded. The wounded were taken to the nearby hospital."

"Perhaps I can pay them a visit, and figure out what happened."

"Good idea, Bail," said Padmé. "We need to solve this case quickly, or the children of the Republic will be doomed!"

* * *

><p>Bail Organa flew his airspeeder to the hospital and was given clearance to land. He told the clerk at the front desk that, as a representative of the Senate, he was there to visit the guards who were wounded during the prison break. The clerk didn't ask twice.<p>

Bail was saddened to see how critical some of the clones were. There were amputations, third-degree burns, and deep cuts gushing blood. Whatever happened had to have been pretty big.

He was lucky when he found a clone in stable condition and was willing to talk. But then he realized that the clone he was talking to was the commander in charge of the prison guard at the time. "Commander Fox, I'm glad to see that you are well."

"Thank you, Senator," replied Fox. He was able to force a smile.

Bail cleared his throat. "If you wouldn't mind, I wish for you to recount what exactly happened during the break."

Fox's smile died away, and he said, "Sure. I suppose that would do me some good."

* * *

><p>Commander Fox told Bail everything that had happened. He was in the central guard tower, and everything seemed normal. There was absolutely no sign of trouble according to the readouts on the computers. He was beginning to wonder if the Separatists would ever attempt to come for General Grievous.<p>

Then one of the clones who were watching the computer consoles said, "Commander, we lost our feed in the generator room!"

Fox looked at the screen. There was nothing but static. He went to another screen that displayed another camera, but that one was dead as well. "What about the motion sensors?"

"They're gone as well."

"Send some mechanics up there to fix them. I don't want any sneak attacks on my watch!"

"Yes, sir!" responded two clone troopers, picking up tool kits and carrying them away.

Fox was relieved when, about twenty minutes later, the cameras and sensors were back online. "Took them long enough," he muttered. The mechanics returned a few minutes later. "What kept you two?" Fox demanded.

"Sorry, sir," replied one of the clones. "They were all completely crushed and we had to replace them."

Under his helmet, Fox frowned. He thought there was something fishy about their story. Cameras couldn't just crush themselves, and if there was anyone in the room to crush them, they would have been detected. But he had more important work to do, and couldn't concern himself with this.

Not long afterward, all of the hoverpods stopped working. "It's probably a problem with the remote signals," explained a clone. "We'll get the replacement pods from the basement and have these ones fixed." So the pods were replaced, and the day went back to normal.

Then, about ten minutes later, there was a sound so loud Fox thought he would go deaf. The sound was followed by intense light and heat that engulfed everything else. Fox felt he was burning, and he fell to the floor, writhing in pain. Then there was darkness, cold, and silence, and a great weight was pressed upon him.

* * *

><p>When Fox came to his senses, he didn't know whether he had been unconscious, or how long he had been lying there – wherever he was. He tried to move, but something had pinned him down. He tried to push against it, but it was too heavy to move.<p>

Fox realized that he must have been in an explosion, and was now pinned by a slab of metal that had fallen on him. He tried to wriggle free, and he managed to move his head into a position where he could see through a crack. He was horrified by what he saw.

All of the pods that were used to access the prison cells had broken loose and were flying around freely. He also saw that the ray shields that guarded the cells were deactivated, and the prisoners were jumping onto the pods as they passed, and were riding them to the exit!

That's when Fox realized; it's a prison break!

* * *

><p>"After most of the prisoners were gone, the rescue crews came and found me, then they brought me to this hospital," finished Fox.<p>

Bail shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Commander. I will do everything I can to help you. You have told me much. But do you know what happened to Grievous?"

Fox flinched. "General Grievous escaped? Oh, this just keeps getting worse. Come to think of it, a Jedi came to interrogate him that very same day."

"Who was it?"

"Uh, Rancisis. I think it was Oppo Rancisis."

"Thank you. Get some rest." Bail began to walk away when he heard a familiar voice.

"Senator Organa. What a coincidence, seeing you here." Bail turned around and saw Tan Divo walking towards him.

"Hello, Lieutenant. I'm afraid I don't have time to talk, so if you'll excuse me…" Bail turned to leave, but then Divo spoke again.

"What brings you to this particular room in the hospital?"

"As a representative of the Senate, I came to visit the poor troops who were injured in the line of duty."

Divo frowned. "I hope you're not starting your own investigation, Senator."

Bail pretended to be surprised. "Now, what makes you think that, Lieutenant?"

"You should be careful what you do, Organa. In case you haven't been paying attention, the Senate is under investigation."

Bail was shocked. "You're grounding the Jedi _and_ the Senate!"

"You know perfectly well that you had access to the prison, and had the full capability of engineering this outrage."

"What is your problem with politicians?" demanded Bail.

"You politicians are far too sneaky," replied Divo. "You seem to be the source of all the trouble that goes on around here."

"That is not my fault. The Senators don't agree on the same issues, and until we solve these issues, there is enough leg room for the average Coruscant criminals that _you_ are supposed to catch!"

Divo waved this comment off. "I'll have you know that I have caught a hundred criminals, and I've almost got this one. You have nothing to worry about; I have the situation well under control." With that, he strode away.

* * *

><p>"What does that detective think he's playing at?" asked Padmé Amidala. "First the Jedi, now the Senate? Next he'll be arresting everyone off the streets!"<p>

The senators and Ahsoka Tano were now assembled in Padmé's apartment, contemplating the new information retrieved by Bail Organa.

"Well, I suppose we owe him some thanks," said Mon Mothma. "I just now realized that a senator could be behind this."

"That's what I thought, too," said Bail. "What if this prison break was engineered by Senator Burtoni, just so we would pass her bill?"

Padmé thought. "That sounds reasonable. We'll look into it. In the meantime, I think we should talk to this Jedi Commander Fox mentioned."

"I know how we can reach him," said Ahsoka.

* * *

><p>Oppo Rancisis was meditating in his room in the Jedi Temple. He had been very troubled over the events of the last few days. He felt he had let down the people of the Republic by letting Grievous get away. There were even some who believed <em>he<em> had let the General loose. But he constantly reminded himself; he didn't do it, and there was no evidence suggesting that it was him. He was safe.

His thoughts were interrupted by a beeping noise. His holotransmitter was receiving a message. He didn't move from his spot, but instead used the Force to turn on the device. A hologram of Ahsoka Tano sprang up. "Ah, Padawan Tano. I'm surprised to see you. How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. There's a friend here who has some questions for you, if you don't mind."

Oppo thought. He assumed it would be someone wanting to ask him about his part in the prison break the other day. He didn't necessarily want to talk about it, but if it was a friend of Ahsoka's, perhaps he could risk it. "Very well."

Ahsoka moved out of the hologram, and a young woman moved in. "Greetings, Master Rancisis. I'm Senator Amidala."

"Ah, I've heard of you," replied Oppo calmly. "You seem to be very adventurous for a Senator."

Padmé chuckled. "I've never heard that one before. But I must get to business. I was wond-"

"…wondering if I could tell you how General Grievous escaped," finished the Jedi. "I suppose I could, but you must pay close attention, as I will not repeat myself."

* * *

><p>During General Grievous' interrogation, an explosion shook the cell in which Grievous was being kept. Then the power was cut off, causing the lights to go out, and the energy field in which Grievous was suspended shut off, as did the security systems.<p>

Oppo found himself in a small, pitch-black room with the most dangerous foe the Jedi have ever faced. But he didn't need his eyes to see Grievous. The Force told him exactly where the cyborg was. That's why Oppo dodged a punch by Grievous just in time.

Oppo responded by waving his hand and unleashing a Force-blast that threw Grievous against the wall. The General landed on the floor a shook himself back to attention. He could barely see his foe in the darkness, and had to be aware in case the Jedi sprang out of nowhere.

He did.

Despite his old age, Oppo was very nimble and quick, slithering around Grievous and then picking him up from behind with his four arms. Grievous kicked out with one of his legs and hit Oppo in the face, forcing him to drop the heavy cyborg. But the Jedi reacted by slapping Grievous in the face with his tail, then assuming a combat stance.

The two duelers exchanged a series of punches and kicks, and easily blocked or dodged most of the attacks. It seemed for a while that neither was getting the upper hand.

Then the door to the cell opened as several clone guards ran in to check on the prisoner. Light flooded into the cell. "Get him!" ordered the squad leader. The clones opened fire on Grievous, who leaped up and clung to the ceiling with his claws, then scuttled across the ceiling and out into the hall, dodging the blasterfire.

Grievous dropped to the floor and ran the rest of the way. When he came to the central area, he jumped as hard as his legs allowed and used his claws to cling to the command tower. As he climbed down, more clones began shooting at him. But they were forced to jump out of the way when the prisoner picked up a pod and threw it at them.

Oppo didn't hesitate. He used his arms to jump into one of the out-of-control pods and rode it down to the ground. He slithered in the direction Grievous went. He got outside just in time to see Grievous fly away in an ARC-170 starfighter parked nearby.

* * *

><p>"So, we now know that Grievous is not on Coruscant anymore," announced Padmé to the other Senators in her office. "But we still don't know who's behind this."<p>

Mon Mothma, Chi Eekway, and Ahsoka stood in deep thought, trying to figure out another clue. Suddenly, Bail Organa burst in, panting. "Have you heard? Lieutenant Divo is dead!"

Ahsoka snorted. "Good riddance."

"How did this happen?" asked Mon.

"Some police droids were patrolling the area near the prison when they found Divo's body. There was a burning hole straight through his heart. Literally, it was so large and deep, they said you could see objects on the other side!"

Ahsoka suddenly became interested. "He was killed by a lightsaber? A _Jedi_ did this?"

Padmé shook her head. "No one said it was a lightsaber. It could have been a powerful blaster shot."

"It'd take an abnormally powerful shot to burn through all that fat," pointed out Chi Eekway, half-jokingly.

"Okay," said Padmé, "let's say it was a Jedi. Who could it be?"

"Perhaps the Jedi you talked to?" suggested Mon.

Ahsoka shook her head. "No, the murder would have to have taken place during our talk, and I contacted his personal quarters in the Jedi Temple. He couldn't have been at the prison and then gone all the way to the temple in just a few minutes."

"Still, he could be behind the prison break. He may not have told us the whole story."

"But how can we know for sure?" asked Chi Eekway. "There must be _some_ piece of information we haven't examined."

Everyone began to think. They thought as hard as they could, but they didn't get the answer. Their thoughts were interrupted when Padmé pointed at the floor and said, "What's that?" Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a small red spot on the floor. "Is that blood?"

Bail spoke. "Oh! I went to the prison today to look at the damage. I must have stepped in a bit of blood and tracked it in here."

Ahsoka bent down to examine the blood. "So this came from the crime scene?"

"Yes."

She gasped. "That gives me an idea!" She fished into her pockets and pulled out a small, handheld device. She pushed a button on the side and said, "Information retrieval, I need you to match a blood sample." She held the device close to the blood and waited a few seconds. The screen showed a picture and information on a person. Ahsoka sighed in defeat. "It's the blood of a clone. It'll take ages to single all of them out."

Padmé took the device and studied it. "Wait! It says here at the bottom; 'Sample contains contaminant. Most closely associated with Jango Fett.' Information retrieval, identify the contaminant in the sample."

A few seconds later, the screen displayed several things, including dirt, dust, and…

"Oil?" repeated Mon. "Why would there be oil in a blood sample?"

"It looks like a type of lubricant," observed Bail. "Like something for a machine."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. "Or a hoverchair!"

* * *

><p>Demood Elpirc glided down the halls of the Jedi Temple, as he normally did. He wasn't content with his quiet, boring life, but, in his opinion, it was better than being in the middle of the war surrounded by death and suffering. Yes, he was much happier this way.<p>

Suddenly, an invisible force threw him off of his chair and he fell to the ground. When he collected himself, he saw a party of people standing around him. There was Oppo Rancisis, Ahsoka Tano, Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, two police droids, and a few clone troopers with their blasters aimed at him. Masters Yoda and Mace Windu appeared out of an adjacent corridor.

To his surprise, the police droids held his hands behind his back and handcuffed them with electric binders. "Demood Elpirc, you are under arrest for destroying government property, setting free several dangerous criminals, and murdering a policeman."

Elpirc grumbled. "What are you talking about, you stupid droids?"

Ahsoka stepped forward. "Don't lie, Master. We know you were behind the prison break. You had access to the security codes in the prison, you wielded a lightsaber that burned straight through the chest of Lieutenant Tan Divo, and you owned the oil found at the scene of the crime as a lubricant for your chair."

"That means nothing, youngling."

Padmé stood next to Ahsoka. "We found many clues to the identity of the criminal, and you fit the bill perfectly. Why would you do such a terrible thing to the Republic, and shame the Jedi Order?"

Elpirc sighed. "All right, I confess. What I did was a protest against the Jedi being involved in the war. I had known for years that we were becoming too… aggressive. I wanted to change that. I had hoped that what happened to me during the Battle of Geonosis would make everyone see."

"You planned for yourself to be hurt?" repeated Oppo. "You deliberately blew up the command center and almost cost us victory?"

"Yes. I had planned to be killed in the explosion, but things didn't work out well. I was glad when you told me I couldn't fight in the war. Then, just last week, a senator came to me and asked if I would help her organize a prison break. I agreed."

* * *

><p>Demood Elpirc recounted how he had snuck into the prison that fateful day, concealed by a hooded Jedi cloak. Also, his hoverchair wouldn't leave any footprints to be detected. Getting past the guards had been easy. He could use the Force to sense where they were, so he could avoid them. Or, he could use a Jedi mind trick to play with their minds, allowing him to pass.<p>

After much stealthily exploration, Demood finally reached the room that housed all of the power generators. Using the Force, he crushed the security cameras so the guards in the control center wouldn't see him. He drove across the room and stopped in front of the generator controls. He donned a pair of gloves and pulled the cover off of the console. He began fiddling with the wires, reattaching them until the shields protecting the generators were deactivated.

From beneath his cloak, he produced a bag of thermal detonators. He approached each turbine and placed an armed bomb on the other side of the casing. Once the generators had all been rigged, he undid his sabotage to the wires and reactivated the shields. He carefully replaced the console cover in the same position in which he had found it, and then left.

Before he could leave the prison, however, there was one more thing he needed to do. He went down to the basement where the guards kept spare hoverpods, and reprogrammed each pod. If his tampering was correct, the pods would move in a circular motion around each cell after the power went out, allowing the prisoners to ride them to the ground.

As he passed the main containment area, he used the Force to snap some wires in each pod currently in operation. They would be sent to the basement and replaced with the sabotaged pods. Satisfied that his work was done, Demood returned to the Jedi Temple without being noticed. Once there, he pulled out a remote that was connected to the bombs he had placed in the generators. He pushed the button eagerly, and sensed the detonators exploding.

He smiled to himself. He had done it. He had committed the perfect crime.

* * *

><p>"And which senator were you working for?" asked Oppo.<p>

"I'm not telling you. You'll never catch her!"

"Actually," said Padmé. "We already know which senator you're talking about, and she is going to be arrested, too."

"And now," continued Ahsoka, "Thanks to you, General Grievous and several dangerous criminals are once again at large, and the war will be going on for quite some time."

They all watched as the police droids carried the traitorous Jedi Master away.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Kaminoan Senator Halle Burtoni sat in her office, savoring her victory. The war was continuing, she would be making more money, and that pesky Senator Amidala was finally out of the way.<p>

Her celebration was short-lived. The doors to her office opened and two police droids walked in, followed by Ahsoka Tano and Padmé Amidala. Halle remained calm, however, and said casually, "Well, hello. May I help you?"

One of the droids came forward and cuffed her. "Halle Burtoni, you are under arrest for destroying government property, setting free several dangerous criminals, and murdering a policeman."

Before she could protest, Halle was led away from her desk and out into the hall. As she passed Padmé, she saw with displeasure that she was smiling victoriously. True, Grievous and hundreds of criminals were now loose in the galaxy, and the war would continue, but the criminals behind the prison break were safely behind bars, and Halle's bill would not be reintroduced. The people of the Republic were safe.


	7. Volunteer Army

Volunteer Army (Ep. #7, Prod. #6)

* * *

><p>A plot unraveling! As the Clone Wars continue, the secret Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, is plotting to use the war to take over the galaxy. But due to the recent failure of his apprentice, Count Dooku, Sidious has been forced to find other means of fulfilling his dreams.<p>

Warriors, criminals, and bounty hunters from all across the galaxy have received invitations to join Sidious' new personal army, and rush to his secret lair on the ancient Sith planet, Korriban….

* * *

><p>Deep in the Outer Rim, the planet Korriban sat cold and dead. It was an endless desert of mountains and canyons. There was nothing about this planet that people liked, so civilizations were nonexistent.<p>

But thousands of years ago, this planet was home to an ancient order that killed itself; the Sith. Korriban was the place where the Sith Lords lived, learned, and plotted against the Jedi. But they also killed each other for power, leading to their apparent extinction.

But a Sith Lord called Darth Bane created a law that only two Sith Lords may exist at a time; a master and an apprentice. The Sith survived in hiding for a thousand years until Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi defeated Darth Maul, the first apprentice to Darth Sidious.

There was a canyon on Korriban dubbed the Valley of the Dark Lords. This was perhaps the most foreboding place on the planet because this was where the bodies of some Sith Lords were buried in their own tombs. The valley is said to be haunted by their spirits.

Yet, dozens of different starships were docked around one of the tombs. Inside was a hallway lined with statues of Darth Bane himself each carrying a flaming torch. And at the other end of the hallway was a large, semi-circular chamber with three steps leading up to the stone casket, where lay the body of Darth Bane.

Standing in front of the alter Darth Sidious looked out over the crowd that had shown up. He saw the blue Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane, with his brown leather jacket and wide, brown hat. Talking to him was Aurra Sing, with her orange jumpsuit, white skin, and long brown ponytail. Nearby was the Rodian Greedo.

There was the reptilian Trandoshan Bossk and Dengar, whose head was completely wrapped in a white bandage. The purple-skinned aquatic Patrolian Robonino, the cyborg AO-327, and the young Boba Fett, clad in Mandalorian armor.

There was also the Zabrak Sugi, the Kyuzan Embo, whose wide wooden hat doubled as a weapon and shield, and the Mandalorian Pre Vizsla, leader of the movement known as Death Watch, and several of his best warriors. Sidious was proud to see that a clone traitor, nicknamed Slick, had joined, too. Even the spice pirate, Hondo Ohnaka, came with his thievish Kowakian monkey-lizard, Pilf Mukmuk. It was quite a turnout.

"Welcome, my friends," announced Sidious. "You have made a wise choice by coming here. With your help, the Jedi will die, and the Sith shall rule the galaxy once again!"

"And what's in it for us?" asked Bane.

"I want 10,000 credits minimum!" hissed Bossk.

"We should get extra for every Jedi we kill," stated Aurra greedily.

"You will each get 5,000 for every job you do, and an additional 10,000 for every Jedi you kill," said Sidious. "And once I control the galaxy, your criminal records will be wiped clean."

All of the bounty hunters seemed excited about that. Sidious smiled maliciously at his new volunteer army. These were the most dangerous beings in the galaxy. They were ten times better than clone troopers or battle droids.

"But before your first missions, you will have to be tested." Upon hearing this, the group suddenly fell silent. "All I ask is that you all leave this tomb." He gave them all an evil smile and with the flick of his fingers, the door leading into the tomb fell shut and the statues of Darth Bane came to life!

The bounty hunters chattered as the flame-wielding statues marched into the chamber. Then the test began. Cad Bane drew his twin blaster pistols and flew into the air with his jet boots. He began firing at one of the statues that was swinging its torch at him. The bolts cracked the stone but did not shatter it, until Aurra blasted its head off with her sniper rifle.

AO-327 wielded a heavy concussion rifle attached to his backpack, which fed energy into the weapon. He could fire explosive balls of energy at targets, causing catastrophic damage to even medium-sized tanks. The statues were tough, though; it took three shots just to completely destroy one.

Robonino, with his small stature, was able to sneak up on one of the statues and climb on top of it. Then he took out his blaster, but it was knocked out of his hand by the statue's arm. So he used the only other weapon he had; an electric charger.

Sidious shook his head at the fish-like creature. He wouldn't damage stone with electricity. As the Sith Lord predicted, the charger didn't weaken the statue; in fact, it did quite the opposite. The statue hit Robonino with its torch, knocking him to the ground, and then brought it down for the final, fiery blow.

Boba Fett, Pre Viszla, and his warriors, meanwhile, had adopted Cad Bane's strategy and were using their jetpacks to hover above the crowd, shooting at the statues. Boba used a modified EE-3 blaster rifle that fired more powerful shots than the average blaster. But the stone was still hard to crack.

Three Death Watch warriors fired the missiles in their jetpacks. Each missile destroyed one statue. But upon seeing its comrades destroyed, another statue swung its torch at the warriors. One warrior dodged the swing, but the second warrior's armor caught fire, and the third's jetpack exploded and threw him against the wall.

Viszla was distracted by the warriors' fall and a punch by a statue knocked him out of the air and he hit the ground hard, his blaster bouncing away. As the statue closed in on him, Viszla took out the Darksaber, an ancient black lightsaber stolen from the Jedi Temple 900 years ago by his ancestors. He swung the weapon and sliced off the statue's arm, then its legs, then its head.

Everyone else fought the statues with their blasters, thermal detonators, and whatever they had at their disposal. Finally, the last statue was destroyed, and Robonino, two Death Watch warriors, Hondo Ohnaka, and Pilf Mukmuk, were dead. And the survivors were furious with Sidious.

"What are you playing at?"

"You could've gotten me killed!"

"You brought us here just so you could kill us!"

Sidious raised his hand for silence. "I didn't want these people to be killed, but if they had had enough skill, they would be alive; just as you are now." The bounty hunters murmured in agreement. "Now you are ready for your first mission."

* * *

><p>The planet Mandalore was once home to the greatest warriors in the galaxy, until an act by the pacifist Duchess Satine Kryze eradicated the soldiers to turn her planet into a world of peace and prosperity. For many years, Satine was hailed a hero by her people.<p>

But prior to the start of the clone wars, a group of citizens decided to revive the Mandalorian warriors and secure the planet's reputation of fear. This group called themselves Death Watch and was led by the governor of the moon on which they were based.

Since then, Death Watch has attempted to assassinate Satine and her advisors several times, and have revealed spies and traitors all around her, including the former Prime Minister of Mandalore, Almec, who was controlling the black market to secure supplies for the planet.

After Almec's arrest, Satine's brother, Malsev, was elected to succeed him. So far, he was doing well. He had exposed many of the Death Watch spies on Mandalore and his speeches and public greetings boosted the morale of the Mandalorians.

"You are doing a wonderful job, Malsev," Satine had said after a meeting.

"Thank you, Satine," he had replied. "Death Watch has grown stronger than we had anticipated. Our spies count at least 120 warriors."

"You needn't worry, my brother. The people are supporting you, and Death Watch hasn't tried to attack you yet. You will make an excellent Prime Minister."

Malsev smiled. But they were soon interrupted by a man who had just entered the room. "Pardon me for interrupting, Duchess, Prime Minister, but we are once again out of medicine for the hospital."

Malsev's smile turned into a frown. "How did this happen, Dr. Zaz?"

Zak Zaz, a doctor at the hospital, answered, "We were promised fresh supplies, but the shipment never came in." He held up a data pad displaying the information on the order.

"Let me see that." Malsev took the data pad and read it. "I don't know what to say, Doctor. Our shipments don't come on regular supply routes anymore. The black market dealers are often late nowadays."

"I need that medicine! Some of our patients could die if we don't treat their flu by tomorrow!"

"We will see to it that the shipment goes straight to you as soon as it arrives," reassured Malsev. "I promise you."

Zaz bowed. "Thank you, Prime Minister, Duchess." With that he left the room.

When he was gone, Malsev sighed. "There _has_ to be a way to secure trading rights without getting involved in this wretched war."

"I wish there was," agreed Satine. "We don't have much choice, unfortunately. I advise you not to worry about that. We will manage fine."

Then the doors opened again. This time it was the police captain. "Duchess! Prime Minister! We're under attack!"

* * *

><p>A small cargo cruiser entered Mandalore's atmosphere. It had a rounded V-shaped hull with a box-shaped bridge at the back. The engines were set on three long stalks – one pointing straight up and two pointing down and to either side – which protruded from the behind the bridge. Behind those were two long stabilizer wings.<p>

The Mandalorian custom officials had let the ship in because the hospital was expecting a shipment of medicine, which the cargo ship pilot said he was carrying. But they didn't realize the ship had been retrofitted under Darth Sidious' orders and lent to a band of bounty hunters.

The Mandalorians didn't think anything was wrong until they saw what appeared to be the disk-shaped loading doors extend to unveil two large blaster cannons. Then missile launchers rose out of the wings and turbolaser turrets from the front of each engine.

On the bridge of the undercover cruiser, Pre Viszla explained the plan to the other bounty hunters. "Half of us will stay to man the cruiser's guns. The other half will fly into the city in our ships. Then my warriors and I will sneak into the palace, kidnap Duchess Satine, and kill anyone who defends her.

Several smaller ships were nestled in the cargo bay of the undercover cruiser. The first ship was the _Punishing One_, a JumpMaster 5000 scout ship modified and piloted by Dengar. There was also the _Xanadu Blood_, a heavily modified _Rogue_-class starfighter given to Cad Bane by Darth Sidious. In the corner was the _Halo_, an SS-54 light freighter used by Sugi and Embo, next to a Mandalorian shuttle.

The last ship in the hanger was perhaps the most fearsome; Boba Fett's _Slave I_. It was originally a _Firespray-31_-class patrol and attack ship, stolen by Boba's "father", Jango Fett. After Jango's death at the hand of Jedi Master Mace Windu, Boba completely overhauled the ship and added new deadly weapons, faster engines, and a modified body for better maneuvering.

Each bounty hunter boarded their respective ships and took off. The others who stayed on the ship manned the turrets and the ship's controls. Aurra Sing looked at the radar screen and announced the approach of several armed Mandalorian police speeders with flashing blue and red lights.

From his shuttle, Viszla laughed. "_This_ is the best they can throw at us? Let's show them some _real_ firepower!"

At his signal, the turrets and ships opened fire at the police speeders, which responded by firing back at the bounty hunters. From the capitol city of Sundari, the battle was a series of red and blue laser bolts flying across the sky, with occasional large yellow fireballs appearing where the speeders were destroyed.

After a few minutes, Viszla's shuttle began to descend towards the city with the other ships in tow. The cruiser, however, remained behind. In one of the turrets, AO-327 sat in the chair holding the controls for the twin laser cannons. There was a targeting screen between the handgrips, though the cyborg's vision was already intensified and his brain enhanced, so he didn't necessarily need it.

He found a speeder in his line of sight, and his brain enhancement allowed him to accurately calculate where and when to fire. He pushed the buttons and several red laser bolts sped through the air, and then the speeder flew into them.

* * *

><p>Duchess Satine and Prime Minister Malsev watched the battle from the palace, and both could not believe what they were seeing.<p>

"This is an outrage!" exclaimed Malsev. "We must set up our security shields to defend the city!"

Satine, however, was calmer and more thoughtful. "This makes no sense. The Death Watch wouldn't dare attempt a direct assault. There's something more to this attack."

"Well, I'd rather not find out what it is. Let's hope the security shields will be enough."

* * *

><p>Boba Fett sat behind the controls of <em>Slave I<em>, following Pre Viszla's Mandalorian shuttle, along with the _Punishing One_, _Halo_, and _Xanadu Blood_. Personally, Boba didn't have a problem with the Death Watch, but he didn't like to think he had a relationship to them. Both they and Boba's father were Mandalorian warriors, but the Death Watch never attacks directly, but sabotages instead; cowardly fighting, as Boba called it.

As the black-domed city of Sundari loomed closer, Boba was suspicious that a capitol city would be left so vulnerable. When he thought about it, he realized there must be hidden defenses. "Pull up!"

"What?" asked Viszla via intercom.

"Pull up! I bet we're flying into a trap!"

"I'm not picking up any weapons," observed Sugi.

"They've probably got an energy shield," suggested Cad Bane.

"I have no readings," said Dengar. "Are you sure?"

"Pull up!" repeated Boba. "All craft pull up!"

"Take evasive action!" ordered Viszla. Upon his command, all of the ships turned away from the city. "We'll have to blast our way in. Fire at one of the openings and destroy the shield generator."

The _Xanadu Blood_ was the first to turn back around, so Bane fired the first shots. As expected, the shots didn't make it through the opening, but dissolved into the invisible shield. Some shots did hit the metal plating, so the bounty hunters fired at the opening's border.

On the _Punishing One_, Dengar carefully aimed and fired a proton torpedo. He held his breath while the powerful projectile soared through the air. He didn't exhale until he saw the torpedo hit the plating with a huge explosion.

The explosion tore right through the plating and destroyed the shield generator, leaving the city vulnerable.

* * *

><p>The duchess and prime minister watched in shock as the shield protecting the city was destroyed. When the smoke and flames cleared, they saw five ships heading towards the opening they had created.<p>

"Satine, we must evacuate now!" exclaimed Malsev. "I have a ship just out back." He began to run for the door, and then looked back at Satine, who was rooted to her spot. "Duchess, we must hurry! Come!"

Satine finally came to her senses and followed her brother to the rear landing platform. A shuttle was parked in one of the spaces. The two made for this ship, but before they could reach it, it exploded in a great ball of flame.

The dignitaries shielded their eyes from the light and smoke, and when they thought it was safe to look, they were horrified to see another shuttle and several armed Death Watch soldiers in its place.

Pre Viszla stepped forward holding two pairs of electrobonds. "You're coming with us."

* * *

><p>In the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano sat in her room meditating. Ever since she began spending her free time in peace and quiet, it became easier for her to use the Force. She didn't have to think about the harshness of the war, or the danger she runs into, or having to lead without her master.<p>

Her deep thoughts were interrupted, however, when her communicator began beeping. She stood up and retrieved it to take her call, hoping it was her master.

It wasn't, unfortunately. But she was still glad to see the hologram of Korkie, the young nephew of Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore. They had both worked together to arrest the corrupt Prime Minister Almec a year ago, and before leaving Mandalore, Ahsoka told Korkie how to contact her.

"Korkie, I'm glad to see you."

"As am I, Master Tano."

Ahsoka knew it was only good manners for others to call a Jedi "Master," but hearing the mention of that word reminded her of how much she missed Anakin Skywalker. But she didn't let her personal feelings get in the way of the conversation. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing fine. I've been assigned an internship under the new prime minister, my father Malsev."

"Congratulations. How are things on Mandalore?"

"Not good," he replied with a fearful expression. "The Death Watch has attacked Sundari and kidnapped Auntie Satine and my father.

Ahsoka was shocked. "What happened?"

"We don't know. There was some kind of armed cargo cruiser and some unidentified smaller ships, along with a Mandalorian shuttle. After they left, my aunt and father were missing!"

"Don't worry, Korkie. I'll get help."

"Thank you." With a bow, he ended the transmission.

Ahsoka knew she had to get help, but since Mandalore had elected to stay neutral, the Republic authorities couldn't provide aid. She needed to find someone close to Satine….

* * *

><p>Darth Sidious' army of bounty hunters dropped off their prisoners at the Death Watch base on the moon Concordia. Then they returned to Korriban for their next missions.<p>

Sidious was certainly pleased that his plan was working. "I must confess that I am very surprised by the success of your mission," he had said. "They don't suspect a thing. Governor Viszla, return to Concordia and fortify your base. I sense that the Jedi will come to rescue your prisoners.

"As for the rest of you," he continued to the others, "I have several missions for each of you. Take however long you need to; I will contact you when the need arises." Sidious walked up to Boba Fett and handed him a holodisk. "Contained on this holodisk are very important plans that must not fall into the hands of the Jedi. Bring them to the prescribed coordinates."

"Is that all?" asked Boba. He didn't think this was a hard enough assignment.

Sensing his doubt, Sidious replied, "I am confident that you will overcome any complications. If you would like, Greedo may accompany you."

He moved on to Cad Bane. "Bane, there are several Republic listening posts stationed near Coruscant that will warn the Jedi if any Separatist ships stray too close. You, along with Aurra Sing, Dengar, and Bossk will destroy these stations."

Next, he went to AO-327. "Cyborg, Separatist leader Nute Gunray is acting suspiciously. I want you to serve as his bodyguard, and report to me his intentions."

The cyborg nodded. "Yes, my lord." He didn't wait to hear what the others were to be assigned; he went straight to a _Sheathipede_-class Separatist shuttle outside and took off.

Sidious continued. "Sergeant Slick, I want you to infiltrate the Republic by posing as a clone trooper called Spider. I want to know what the Jedi are up to."

Clone Sergeant Slick nodded. "With pleasure, my lord."

Underneath his hood, Sidious smiled maliciously. He could sense the bounty hunters' loyalty to him growing. Soon the galaxy would be thrown into turmoil, and there would be nothing the Jedi could do.

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala sat in her office in the Senate Building. She was glad of her recent victory in the senate, but she knew that victory could soon be taken away. She had to work tirelessly if she wanted to end the war.<p>

The door slid open and Padawan Ahsoka Tano entered. Although she was busy, Padmé was always able to find time for her friends. "Ahsoka, what a pleasant surprise."

"I'm glad to see you, too, Padmé," Ahsoka responded. "I've come because the Death Watch has kidnapped Duchess Satine and her brother, the prime minister."

The senator was surprised by this shocking turn of events. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Her nephew Korkie just contacted me."

Padmé shook her head and stood up. "This is not good at all, Ahsoka. If Satine is killed, Mandalore will become a dangerous threat to the Republic. We have to find her."

"There's more," Ahsoka suddenly remembered. "They were with some other ships that didn't belong to the Mandalorians. I think the Death Watch is being backed by bounty hunters or smugglers."

Padmé paused to turn these facts over in her mind. Why would Death Watch be working with bounty hunters? They had more than enough warriors, why get extra help? There must be more to this kidnapping, and the Jedi needed to find out. That gave Padmé an idea. "I think I know just what to do."

* * *

><p>Somewhere in deep space, a fleet of <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers sat waiting for their next orders. The fleet had been assigned to be led by Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. The two Jedi were on the bridge of the flagship, the _Negotiator_.

Anakin used to be Obi-Wan's apprentice until sometime after the start of the war. During the ten years they were together, their relationship grew until they could be considered brothers. They knew each other so well the Jedi Council had assigned Anakin to join his former master in the Outer Rim Sieges.

But there had been a price for Anakin. He had to leave behind his own apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. He missed his Padawan, but he had to focus on the war.

As the two Jedi were discussing war tactics, one of the _Negotiator_'s controllers announced that they were receiving a transmission from Coruscant. "Send it through," replied Obi-Wan.

A hologram of Senator Padmé Amidala appeared on the main projector. "Master Kenobi," she began, "I come before you with grave news; Duchess Satine has been kidnapped by the Death Watch movement."

Obi-Wan was surprised, despite having expected this to happen. If Mandalore was to rise again as warriors, they had to eliminate Satine. Obviously, she was their prime target.

Padmé continued, "We also believe that the Death Watch is working with bounty hunters. I was hoping you could go to the organization's base on the moon Concordia and find out what you can."

"Of course, Senator," replied Obi-Wan. "We will leave as soon as we can." They exchanged bows and the transmission ended.

Anakin chuckled with anticipation. Normally, he would try to talk his way out of these types of missions, but he didn't want to miss a chance to see Obi-Wan and Satine together.

When Obi-Wan was a Padawan, he spent a year with Satine on Mandalore. During that time, they became close. Very close. However, Obi-Wan left her to perform his duties to the Jedi Order, which made Satine angry. Now the two are merely friends who often argue with one another for their opposing beliefs. Satine was a pacifist and detested war, while Obi-Wan spent most of his time fighting in one.

"Are you excited, Master?" asked Anakin playfully. "You get to see your old girlfriend again!"

Obi-Wan whirled to face Anakin with frustration. "She is _not_ my…" He never brought himself to say the word he meant to say, but interrupted himself. "I am far from excited, Anakin. This is a very dangerous mission. Any wrong move could prove fatal."

Anakin, still smiling, replied, "Of course, Master. I'll go prep a shuttle with a private chamber for the love birds."

As he left, he heard Obi-Wan following him and yelling, "That's not funny Anakin! I have absolutely no intentions of the sort! Satine and I are friends, and _nothing_ more! Period!"

* * *

><p>Concordia was one of the two moons orbiting Mandalore. It was covered in dense forests and had been settled by the Mandalorians as an agricultural colony. However, the colonists soon established hundreds of mines to extract a precious metal native to the moon; precious for its resistance to lightsabers. This process nearly destroyed all of the forests, though they began to grow back after the mines were abandoned.<p>

As part of Duchess Satine's New Mandalore regime, anyone who was still devoted to the planet's warrior ways was banished to Concordia, where they would eventually die out. But they didn't. These people established a new civilization, and created a society of warriors known as Death Watch.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker approached the moon in an Eta-class Jedi shuttle. They knew that if they landed too close to the Death Watch headquarters, they would be detected and their ship destroyed. Their only hope was to land in the middle of the nearest forest and approach on foot.

Landing was only the easy part. Getting into the Death Watch base undetected would be harder. And rescuing Satine would be harder still. The two Jedi walked through the forest and across the landscape until they reached the edge of a cliff. By then, the sun was beginning to set.

"Well, now what?" asked Anakin.

"The Death Watch is concentrated in a mine at the bottom of this quarry," replied Obi-Wan. He took out a pair of binoculars and observed the base. There were several curved-roofed buildings and Mandalorian shuttles and fighters at the bottom of the quarry. Each was surrounded by warriors wearing vaguely familiar Mandalorian armor.

"How do we get in?" asked Anakin.

"There's no way we'll be able to go straight down without being spotted. We can access the base through the underground mines. There should be an entrance at the base of the mountain." Obi-Wan gestured to a mountain that bordered the opposite side of the quarry. It was a long way off.

Anakin sighed upon seeing the amount of energy they would use. "Well, we better get going." He began to walk towards the mountain, Obi-Wan in tow.

* * *

><p>By the time the two Jedi found the entrance to the mine, it was already night time. At this hour, there wasn't much chance of being seen, but they still had to watch for guards. The entrance was a small door built into the side of the mountain. Beyond that door was a dark, narrow hallway that led into the main operations room.<p>

This giant chamber housed several large contraptions used to break down rocks and extract the metal they contained. Obi-Wan was vaguely reminded of how _he_ was almost broken down by the same machines, and then saved by Satine.

Then the Jedi entered a similar room, although this one was in full operation, and was producing pieces of Mandalorian armor. In the center of the room, a control center was suspended on scaffolding so it towered over the assembly line. There were two Mandalorian soldiers at the control center operating the machines.

"Maybe if we hurry, they won't see us," whispered Anakin. He began to move forward but Obi-Wan put a hand on his shoulder to discourage him.

"These warriors have been too well-trained. We need some kind of diversion to draw their attention away from us while we make for the door."

Anakin scoffed. "If they're so well-trained, what makes you think that will work?"

"You don't actually _want_ to fight them!"

"Who said I did? I'm just saying that we need to get through without disturbing the base. If we create a diversion, they'll _know_ something's wrong!"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Very well. We'll use a Jedi mind trick on them to make them not notice us. You take the one on the left."

Anakin groaned in disappointment. "Fine." At the same time, the two Jedi reached out with the Force to touch the minds of the two warriors.

It worked! The soldiers both turned to face the opposite wall in response to a metallic clanging noise that wasn't real. Obi-Wan ran towards the door to the next room and Anakin followed.

"Hey, you!" Several shots hit the wall around the Jedi. They were coming from the control center!

As soon as they were safely in the next room, Obi-Wan locked the door. "Well, that didn't go as planned."

"Yeah," panted Anakin, "Great idea, Master." Then he began to walk away.

Obi-Wan protested to Anakin's back. "It's not my fault! Mind tricks only work on the weak-minded. How was I supposed to know these two were stronger?"

"Now thanks to you, the whole base knows we're here!"

"Would it have been any different if we had done it your way?"

* * *

><p>Pre Viszla stood in the Death Watch headquarters' control building. Darth Sidious had warned him that the Jedi would try to rescue his prisoners, and Viszla was convinced that he needed to guard them more closely. He also needed to set up security measures to prevent the Jedi from entering the base.<p>

He was too late. A controller announced that two Jedi had been spotted in the mine and were making their way towards the base.

"Round up several of our best warriors!" Viszla ordered. "I'll need help if I'm going to stop these Jedi."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi had to move more stealthily to avoid running into more Death Watch troops. It wasn't easy, for the entire base had been alerted to the Jedi's presence, and Mandalorian soldiers were running about searching for them.<p>

After running and hiding through many more rooms, they found their way into the main compound. Except there was a ray shield blocking the door. They were trapped!

"This is the only way into the compound," observed Obi-Wan.

"Then how do we get in?" asked Anakin.

"I thought improvisation was your specialty."

Then they heard footsteps echo through the passage. "Here's an idea; hide!" Anakin leaped up into the rafters that supported the ceiling. Obi-Wan followed.

They weren't a moment too soon. Two Mandalorian guards rounded the corner and walked down the hall. One of them said to the other, "If the governor knew two Jedi were coming, why didn't he heighten the security?"

"The measures he was instructed to place will take a while to set up," replied his partner. "Leave it to a Sith Lord to ask the impossible."

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other with surprise at the mention of the word "Sith."

"He has so many other bounty hunters working for him; why couldn't he assign some of them to help us?"

"I know, right? Personally, I think that Fett kid would make a good warrior. If he had been assigned to come with us, we could train him well."

"Poor kid. Being sent to run errands with a Rodian."

Their conversation was interrupted when one of the soldiers' communicator beeped. He took it and pressed a button and a hologram of another person in Mandalorian armor sprang up. Obi-Wan recognized the warrior as Pre Viszla. He was the only Death Watch soldier to wear a cape over his armor.

"I want both of you to go to the south wing," Viszla ordered.

"We just patrolled that area," replied the soldier holding the holoprojector.

"It's you turn to guard the prisoners." With that, the hologram disappeared.

The two warriors began to walk back down the hallway. Once they were gone, the Jedi jumped down from their hiding place. They were stunned by what they had heard.

"So Death Watch _has_ been working with bounty hunters," said Anakin.

"And they were hired by a Sith Lord," added Obi-Wan.

"Sounds like Count Dooku is behind this."

"Yes, and Dooku has sent Boba Fett on a mission."

"I think we're up against something worse than Death Watch," hypothesized Anakin.

"We'd better go back to the ship and contact Senator Amidala." Obi-Wan began to retrace his steps through the complex with Anakin behind him.

* * *

><p>Escaping the Death Watch base was harder than it was getting into it. Now Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi had to try to remember the way through the mine tunnels while avoiding Mandalorian soldiers, who were now guarding all exits in an attempt to catch the Jedi.<p>

They finally found their way back to the entrance they had used to get in, but there were four soldiers with a blaster turret by the tunnel and another two with sniper rifles on the control tower.

"Well," asked Anakin, "Do you want to use mind tricks on them, or should we try to fight this time?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Someday, you're going to be wrong. And I just hope I'm there to see it."

Sensing what each other was thinking they used the Force to break the metal beams holding up the control tower. To the soldiers, there was a terrible screeching sound, then the floor disappeared, and they fell through the air for two terrifying seconds. Then there was nothing.

The four remaining soldiers realized that there was danger nearby. Three of them held their blasters ready and the fourth took the turret controls. Then the two Jedi leapt from their hiding place, lightsabers in hand. At the sight of the intruders, the soldiers opened fire.

Anakin and Obi-Wan used their weapons to deflect the blaster bolts, but the soldiers were good at dodging blasterfire. Also, the turret's shots were too big for the lightsabers to deflect. The Jedi moved this way and that to catch the shots with their blades.

One soldier holstered his blaster and pulled out a knife. Then he activated his jetpack to soar up into the air and bring his knife down on Anakin, who jumped out of the way. With a swing of his lightsaber, he sliced off the blade of the knife, and then swung at the soldier's head. But the soldier ducked and punched Anakin in the stomach and knocked the weapon out of his hand.

Now they were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. They punched and kicked and blocked. Once, the soldier threw a punch at Anakin, who responded by grabbing the fist and pulling the warrior over his shoulder so that he landed on the floor behind him. As soon as Anakin whirled around, he received a hard kick to the groin.

As he groaned with pain, the soldier lunged at Anakin and wrestled him to the floor. As the soldier pounded on Anakin's chest, the Jedi saw that the soldier's jetpack was pointed at the turret that Obi-Wan was struggling to avoid. Using what strength he could muster, Anakin summoned a metal pipe from the destroyed scaffolding and swung it at the jetpack.

The jets burst to life and the soldier screamed as he was propelled at the turret. He hit his head hard and was knocked into unconsciousness. At the same time, the jetpack was triggered and fired a rocket. The turret, and its operator, vanished in a ball of fire.

"That's two!" said Anakin as he recovered his lightsaber and rejoined Obi-Wan.

"About time you got here!" commented Obi-Wan. "I could've used your help a few minutes ago."

"Really?" asked Anakin. "I should be saying the same to you!"

The two remaining warriors fired at the Jedi, but they knew it was easier to defend against two than it was four. One of the soldiers gave a series of hand motions to the other, who responded with a nod. Then they activated their wrist-mounted flamethrowers, sending two streams of fire at the Jedi.

Anakin yelled "Look out!" and dived out of the way. He barely dodged the flames in time; the corner of his Jedi cloak had caught fire. As he rolled over the fire to put it out, he noticed that Obi-Wan was standing with his hands stretched in front of him, using the Force to divert the fire.

But the soldiers continued firing until the flames would be too big for the Jedi. But before that point could come, the flames Obi-Wan was diverting hit the walls of the tunnel, setting them ablaze.

The warriors stopped firing and ran through the flames so they were on the side of the tunnel leading to the base, while Anakin and Obi-Wan darted through to the exit. The Force gave them enough speed to make it safely through, but the soldiers weren't quick enough and were set completely aflame.

The Jedi ran as fast as they could away from the mountain and towards their ship.

* * *

><p>Pre Viszla hadn't been so angry in a long time. But as he watched the four poor soldiers being carried away from the burning tunnel, he was so furious that he had shot the soldier that had been merely knocked unconscious.<p>

"This is impossible. Two Jedi break in and escape without harm done to them, and they nearly destroy one of our mining rooms and incinerate four brave warriors!"

"Should we go after them, sir?" asked a sergeant. "I can have a full squad of assassins with speeders and sniper rifles ready in a few minutes."

"No," replied Viszla. "The Jedi will come back. They came to rescue the prisoners, which they failed to do. We need to be ready when they come back. In the meantime, I'll have a little talk with our Sith friend."

Viszla left the room and headed for the communications center. He thought long and hard what he would say. Any wrong words could be fatal for him. He walked to the computer console and typed in the prescribed frequency.

A hologram of Darth Sidious popped up. "Governer Viszla, have the Jedi arrived?"

Viszla hesitated a second. "Yes. The Jedi were here, but they escaped without the prisoners. We are heightening security and setting traps as we speak. When they come back, we'll be ready for them."

A frown was visible under Sidious' hood. "If the Duchess escapes, she will crush your rebellion and continue to be a symbol of peace for the people of Mandalore. In order to bring Mandalore back to its military state, the Duchess must fall."

Viszla wasn't sure he heard right. "You want me to execute her?"

"Soon, my friend. If the Jedi escape again, you may do what you must."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi made it back to their shuttle safely, and no Death Watch troops had tracked them. As soon as they were inside, the both slumped back into their chairs, panting heavily. "That was <em>too<em> close," commented Anakin.

"Isn't it always?" asked Obi-Wan.

"I still can't believe we have to go back for Satine and her brother. Any ideas on how to do that?"

Obi-Wan replied, "No. Do you? The only thing I can think of right now is reporting our progress." He used the holotransmitter to contact Padmé Amidala. He began to describe everything they heard. "Count Dooku has hired Death Watch and several bounty hunters to kidnap Duchess Satine. While the Death Watch is here on Concordia guarding the Duchess, the other bounty hunters have all been sent on different missions."

"Dooku!" repeated Padmé. "This is not good. These bounty hunters can tear the galaxy apart. Do you know who they are or where they're going?"

"All we know is that Boba Fett is on some sort of errand."

"We'll contact our spies. If they see Fett or his ship, they'll let us know. Perhaps if we capture him, we can interrogate him. He may reveal to us what we need to know."

"Thank you, Senator. We will contact you when we rescue the Duchess."

"The Republic is depending on you, Master Kenobi. We must not fail."

The transmission ended, and the Jedi were left to prepare for their dangerous task.


	8. Inner Conflicts

Inner Conflicts (Ep. #8, Prod. #7)

* * *

><p>Sith Lord Darth Sidious has hired an army of bounty hunters to aid him in his plot to overthrow the Galactic Republic, and destroy the Jedi Order. They were first assigned to aid the Mandalorian Death Watch movement in kidnapping Duchess Satine Kryze and her brother, Prime Minister Malsev.<p>

Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have infiltrated the Death Watch base and discovered that young Boba Fett was sent on an important errand. As the Jedi move in to rescue the Duchess, Republic spies are on the lookout for the young bounty hunter….

* * *

><p>Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo sat anxiously at her desk, waiting for a development in the search for Boba Fett. Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't know where Boba was going, or what he was doing. All they could do was alert Republic spies throughout the galaxy and wait.<p>

If Boba was seen, Padmé would call her friend, Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who had assembled a fleet of Republic cruisers to intercept the bounty hunter. Ahsoka had dealt with him before, and knew that he could be dangerous, even if he was just a child.

The previous year, Boba had enlisted three other bounty hunters to help him assassinate Jedi Master Mace Windu, the man who killed his father, Jango Fett, who was also the template for the clone army. While Mace was recovering in the hospital, Ahsoka and Jedi Master Plo Koon tracked him down and arrested him.

But Boba escaped during a prison break recently, and he was among the prisoners who were to be returned at all costs. Now news had come that he had been recruited by a Sith Lord – apparently referring to Separatist leader Count Dooku – and sent on an important errand.

Padmé nearly jumped with anticipation when a hologram of a clone trooper appeared on her transmitter. "Captain, have you found Boba Fett?"

"Yes, milady," replied the clone. "His ship was seen jumping into hyperspace, en route to Tatooine."

"Thank you, captain. Alert our spies near Tatooine to keep an eye out for him. We need to catch him at all costs."

"Right away, senator." The clone saluted and the hologram winked off.

Padmé quickly typed in a frequency and another hologram appeared. "Ahsoka, Boba Fett is headed for Tatooine."

"Tatooine," repeated Ahsoka from the bridge of her command ship. "Got it. I'm on my way, Padmé." She switched off the holotransmitter and turned to the ship's navigator. "Set your course for Tatooine."

"Yes, sir," replied the clone. He typed in a set of coordinates. "Stand by for hyperspace."

Five _Venator_-class star destroyers jumped into hyperspace at the same time.

* * *

><p>Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker peered over the edge of a cliff. They were on the Mandalorian moon Concordia, standing over the entrance to the Death Watch base. They were lucky to have escaped the previous day, but they had to sneak in again and escape with Duchess Satine Kryze and Prime Minister Malsev.<p>

And to make matters worse, the Mandalorians knew they were there, and their leader, Governor Pre Viszla, was obsessed with finding them before they could rescue the prisoners. Now the Jedi were watching soldiers in distinctive Mandalorian armor take turns patrolling the area around the entrance.

"I don't see how we'll be able to get in with so many guards," commented Obi-Wan. "You wouldn't happen to have any ideas that _don't_ involve violence, would you?"

"No," replied Anakin with a devious smile. "But I do have an idea that doesn't involve detection."

"I'm almost afraid to ask," said Obi-Wan, shaking his head.

"As soon as two new guards come out, we'll knock them out and drag them into the trees."

Obi-Wan stared at him in disbelief. "_That_ is your grand plan? How is kidnapping them going to help us?"

"You'll see."

The two current patrols were returning to the base to report their findings, which were none, and the Jedi knew that two more would be coming soon.

As soon as they saw the new patrols, Anakin whispered, "Now!" and jumped off the cliff, with Obi-Wan right behind him. They each landed on a soldier. After they freed themselves, the warriors raised their blasters, only to have them knocked out of their hands by the Jedi.

One soldier kicked Obi-Wan in the shin, but he quickly responded with a punch in the stomach. As the soldier doubled over, Obi-Wan spun around with his fist outstretched, knocking the soldier to the ground, his helmet bouncing away.

The soldier swept Obi-Wan's legs, knocking him down. Then he climbed onto the Jedi's chest to pin him down while he made the final blow. But Obi-Wan struck first, rolling backwards while kicking out both legs, sending the soldier flying against a tree, knocking him out.

Anakin was wrestling the other soldier, each trying to push the other to the ground. Then Anakin yelled as he pushed the soldier away and lifted him off the ground with the Force, finally throwing him into the trees to join his fallen companion.

Obi-Wan wondered what Anakin could possibly be planning to do with the unconscious warriors. He was very surprised when Anakin began to undress. "Anakin, what are you doing?"

"If we're going to act the part, we might as well look the part," replied Anakin coolly. Then he began to take the armor and jumpsuit off of one of the soldiers, and then tossed a helmet to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan suddenly realized what Anakin had in mind. "Are you mad?" exclaimed the Jedi Master. "This is the absolute worst idea you have ever come up with!" Obi-Wan was normally a very calm and wise person, but when he got angry, he lost his wizard-like demeanor. "I am _not_ putting that on!"

As he began to slip on the jumpsuit, Anakin said, "We can walk right into the base without being seen only if we wear these disguises."

Obi-Wan wanted to argue more, but seeing as he didn't have any better ideas, he decided to give in. "I have a very bad feeling about this." So he reluctantly changed into his own suit of armor.

* * *

><p>Deep in the Outer Rim, Tatooine was a hot, dry desert and criminal haven. Because it was beyond Republic control, any criminal, smuggler, or bounty hunter could safely lodge in the many spaceports. But because it was controlled by the vile Jabba the Hutt, it was a place one would do well to avoid.<p>

Tatooine was one of the prescribed stops Boba Fett would make on his way to the secret coordinates Darth Sidious had sent him to. Boba had landed in Mos Eisley spaceport to refuel his ship, _Slave I_. He also took the opportunity to dump the Rodian he was travelling with.

When Greedo volunteered to escort Boba Fett, he never said he would complain most of the time. Rodians tended to do that, though, and Boba had known it. Greedo was frustrated that the job they were given was too easy, and he didn't like it when _Slave I_ took off and had to turn sideways.

So while Boba was refueling the ship, he sent Greedo to get some power converters, and then took off without him. As _Slave I_ ascended Tatooine's atmosphere, Boba took another look at the holodisk Sidious had given him. They were blueprints for an "ultimate weapon." Boba had to deliver the plans to the construction site of this weapon. In fact, the plans were so secret, Sidious had him hop from system to system to make sure no one was following.

Once he was in space, he began to set the coordinates for hyperspace. Then his cockpit view was filled by a fleet of Republic cruisers! Boba tried to escape, but it would still be a few minutes before the coordinates could lock in and the hyperdrive activated.

* * *

><p>On the Republic flagship, Ahsoka Tano spotted <em>Slave I<em>. "That's Boba Fett's ship!" she exclaimed, pointing. "Ready the tractor beam before he can escape!"

"Yes, sir!" replied the ship's controller.

Responding to this, Ahsoka motioned to clone Captain Rex and his squad of star troopers. The clones followed her to the lower rear hanger.

* * *

><p>The hyperspace coordinates were locked in and the hyperdrive was ready on <em>Slave I<em>. Boba quickly reached to throw the switch, but was thrown backward as the ship lurched. He was caught in a tractor beam!

"Blast it!" Boba got up, put the holodisk into a compartment, and took out his modified EE-3 blaster rifle. He would probably have to fight his way out.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka and the star troopers arrived in the hanger just in time to see <em>Slave I<em> being set down in the center of the floor by the tractor beam. Ahsoka took out her lightsabers and the clones their blasters as they approached the ship carefully.

As they reached the boarding ramp, Ahsoka whispered, "Wait here. I'll go in first. If you hear a struggle, hurry in."

"You got it, sir," replied Rex.

Ahsoka stood on one side of the hatch in case Boba fired as soon as it opened. She pressed the button and the hatch slid up to the ceiling. When no shots were fired, Ahsoka cautiously went in. To her surprise, the hatch slid shut and locked behind her.

Inside, the ship was dark and quiet. Ahsoka held her lightsabers ready in case the bounty hunter struck. Suddenly, a blaster bolt whizzed past her head and she ignited her weapons. In the green and yellow light cast by the blades, she saw a figure in green Mandalorian armor.

Outside the ship, Captain Rex heard the shot and pressed the button to open the hatch. But it wouldn't open. "Quick! Get me a tool kit!"

Boba fired more shots at the now-revealed Jedi, each of which was deflected by her lightsabers. He realized that she was slowly advancing towards him, and that his rifle wasn't enough. He threw the heavy weapon at Ahsoka and she used the Force to throw it out of the way before it hit her. It only took a second, but that was all the time Boba needed to draw two rapid-firing pistols.

Ahsoka had a harder time defending against a barrage of such magnitude, and was slowly pushed back as she struggled to deflect the shots. Then she was pressed against the hatch and couldn't back up any farther. Then Boba began to advance on her.

Two clone engineers brought a tool kit to the boarding ramp of _Slave I_. One of them began to weld through the panel housing the hydraulic lifts for the hatch. Then the other engineer brought a hydraulic pump to open it.

"Hurry!" exclaimed Rex as he heard the blasterfire quicken.

Boba Fett edged closer to Ahsoka Tano. The closer he got to her, the harder it would be for her to deflect the blaster bolts. Then there was a soft hissing sound and light began to edge across the floor. The hatch was beginning to open!

Noticing the hatch, Boba began firing one pistol at the expanding crack underneath, hoping to kill the clone that was operating the pump. With only one pistol firing at her, Ahsoka began to move towards Boba. Then she unleashed a blast of Force energy that knocked him of his feet.

Ahsoka leapt into the air and landed with one hand on Boba's chest, and the other drawn back for a punch. She gave his head a swift blow that knocked his helmet off. She was about to punch again when she saw his face and gasped.

It wasn't the face of the boy she had captured the previous year, but the face of a young man who was battle-scarred but handsome. He couldn't have grown that much! Ahsoka knew he was the enemy, but she also felt both pity and admiration for him.

Boba was temporarily stunned as well. He recognized Ahsoka as the Jedi who had almost destroyed his ship, and Aurra Sing with it. He realized he had never gotten the chance to look at her properly. She wasn't much older than he was, and yet she was already powerful.

The hatch finally opened and Captain Rex and the star troopers jogged in, pointing their blasters at their evil brother.

* * *

><p>On Concordia, the Death Watch sergeant was waiting for the two patrols to return. They were supposed to have come in a couple minutes ago, so he began to wonder if the Jedi had attacked them. He was about ready to call Pre Viszla and tell him that the Jedi were nearby.<p>

Then he saw them. The two soldiers in Mandalorian armor began to walk back into the mine tunnel. "You were supposed to be back a couple minutes ago," said the sergeant. "Did you find anything?"

The soldiers shook their heads.

"Well, head on back to base. Be ready to fight those Jedi if we find them."

The two soldiers walked down the hall, then turned into a side chamber. One of the soldiers locked the door behind them and took off his helmet. Anakin Skywalker shook his head to loosen his long hair. "See? I told you it would work!"

The other soldier took off his helmet to reveal the head of Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Yes, perhaps we are getting somewhere. Although I still feel a bit awkward in this armor. It's like I'm stuck inside of Jango Fett."

"You'll get used to it," replied Anakin before putting his helmet back on. "Satine and her brother are being held in the south wing of the compound. We'd better get going."

* * *

><p>Boba Fett was escorted to a detention cell in the <em>Venator<em> cruiser's brig. There he would wait to be interrogated by Ahsoka Tano. Being captured wasn't a part of his plan, and he wasn't very confident he could manage a loophole through it. All he could do was wait for the Jedi to come.

Ahsoka rode a turbolift down to the brig, and walked down the hall to the small, rectangular cells guarded by ray shields. She approached Boba's cell and deactivated the shield. She was very nervous. She wasn't used to interrogations, and didn't know how well she would be able to handle this.

Besides, there was something about Boba that Ahsoka couldn't understand.

Ahsoka sat down at the single table in the center of the room. Boba sat on the other side of the table. His armor had been taken away and his hands were cuffed.

Ahsoka cleared her throat. She wasn't sure how to begin, so she merely said, "Uh, so, you look a lot older than I remember."

Boba responded with, "I had my age accelerated by five years. I figured I would be more imposing if I was older."

Ahsoka nodded. "I also noticed you rebuilt your ship."

"Yes. I put in new weapons systems, a gyroscopic cockpit, and gave it a paint job," Boba stated proudly. "The only original part of the ship is the chair I sit in."

Ahsoka decided to begin the main questions. "Your ship was seen during the attack on Mandalore, during which Duchess Satine and Prime Minister Malsev were kidnapped."

"It was just a job. Viszla wanted help. He's planning to use the Duchess to take over Mandalore."

"Did he hire you? Or did someone else hire both of you?"

"I have been forced to swear not to divulge the identity of my employer. I intend not to break that oath."

"Admirable," commented Ahsoka without meaning to. "There are two Jedi on Concordia rescuing the Duchess as we speak. In the meantime, I believe you were sent on some sort of errand. Care to explain?"

Boba gulped. "I, uh, I had to deliver a holodisk to a secret set of coordinates."

"But you didn't deliver it yet, did you?" said Ahsoka. "Don't deny it. I can sense that you haven't completed your job."

Boba remained silent.

"Where is the holodisk?"

Boba didn't know how to respond. She knew he still had it on _Slave I_, or else he dumped it into space, which would make his boss angry.

"It's on your ship, isn't it? We'll be sure to keep an eye out for it when we strip it." Ahsoka sensed a sudden wave of despair wash over Boba. He obviously wasn't comfortable with the idea of his ship being torn up and searched.

"Can you tell me where the other bounty hunters are?" continued Ahsoka. "We know you're not the only one working for this… person."

"I don't know."

Ahsoka leaned in close to his face and asked with emphasis, "Don't you?"

Boba tried to look away. When he looked into Ahsoka's eyes, he felt the need to confess.

"Don't you!"

"All right!" yelled Boba angrily. "All right. The bounty hunter AO-327 is guarding Separatist leader Nute Gunray. He's planning to do something drastic. I don't know what."

Ahsoka sat up straight again. "Okay, that's a start. I'll be back later to interrogate you further. In the meantime, you might as well get some rest."

* * *

><p>After interrogating Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano went up to the bridge to contact Padmé Amidala. She told her that Nute Gunray was planning something, and AO-327 was helping him.<p>

"As a matter of fact," said Padmé, "Gunray has been sighted recently near his palace on Cato Neimoidia. What he would be doing there, we don't have a clue."

"We should go find out," said Ahsoka. "He could be planning something dangerous."

"I agree," replied Padmé with determination. "I think you're going to need help on this one. I'll rendezvous with your fleet near Cato Neimodia. Then we can work on this together."

"Thanks Padmé. I appreciate your help. We're on our way." As the transmission flickered out, Ahsoka turned to Captain Rex and said, "Captain, we're going to Cato Neimoidia. Get ready for a tough mission."

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi had expected something to go terribly wrong with Anakin's plan. He figured there would be some kind of protocol that would expose them. But, incredibly, none of the Death Watch troops they passed suspected anything was out of place.<p>

Of course, if one paid close attention, he would become slightly suspicious. For one thing, whenever a soldier talked to them, the Jedi would nod, but not reply. Also, they were walking with their left arms against their sides to conceal the lightsabers hanging on their belts.

Thirdly, they didn't know how to get to the south wing, so they spent most of their time walking randomly through the base until they found their destination. There was one time when they were almost discovered, and that was when they bumped into Pre Viszla himself!

"Eyes on where you're going, warriors!" he scolded as the two soldiers walked into him. Then to his surprise, the soldiers walked away from him without saying anything. "Don't you have anything to say?"

The soldiers froze mid step and looked at each other. Neither of them spoke until the taller of the two managed an "uh…."

"Where are you two going, anyway?"

No answer.

"Well, if you're not doing anything, make yourselves useful and fix the power generators in the north end of the compound."

The soldiers nodded their heads and began to head down the hallway.

Pre Viszla began to walk away when he suddenly whirled around. "Hey, wait!"

The soldiers froze and their hands moved slightly towards their belts, almost as though they were expecting a fight.

"North is _that_ way!" Viszla said, pointing down a side hallway.

The soldiers walked back up the main hallway and turned into the side hallway. When they were gone, Viszla's eyes narrowed.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan whispered, "That was _too_ close."

"At least now we know where Satine is," said Anakin. "Once Viszla is gone, we can go back."

"Actually, I think we should go fix those generators."

"What?" asked Anakin. "But that will just waste time better spent looking for Satine!

Obi-Wan explained, "If Viszla realizes that the generators aren't being fixed, he'll know that something is wrong. Besides, we can use this as an opportunity to plan an escape route."

So the Jedi in disguise continued in the opposite direction of their target.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano's fleet came out of hyperspace on the other side of one of Cato Neimoidia's moons, where it was to meet Padmé Amidala in her H-type Nubian yacht. When the rocket-shaped ship with its gleaming chromium hull appeared from hyperspace, it landed on the flagship.<p>

Ahsoka went down to the hanger to greet the Senator. When the boarding ramp lowered, Padmé walked down, wearing a Naboo security vest and a ribbon to tie her hair back. She was followed by two droids: C-3PO and R2-D2.

Although the droids were good friends, they were very different. C-3PO was a gold-plated humanoid protocol droid designed for etiquette and communication. His ability to speak over 3 million languages was valuable in peace talks and negotiations. He was, however, almost as cowardly as he was smart and constantly complained about the hardships of adventure.

R2-D2, the astromech droid given to Anakin Skywalker by Padmé, was as brave and resourceful as a droid could be. His cylindrical body carried over 40 tools and his domed head could store enough information to fill a supercomputer. His courage and determination often caused him to roll into danger without thought of consequence, and C-3PO would have to talk their way out for him.

R2-D2 spoke to his companion with a series of shrill beeps and whistles.

Understanding astromech language, C-3PO replied in his worried, diplomatic tone, "This is suicide! How can you be excited at a time like this?"

R2-D2 responded with more beeps.

"We are walking into enemy territory and facing who-knows-what! Of course I'm panicking!

R2-D2 emitted a low growling sound that expressed his annoyance with the golden droid.

"How dare you!"

While the droids continued arguing, Padmé hugged her friend. "It's so nice to see you again, Ahsoka."

"You too, Padmé," replied Ahsoka. "Although I'm not sure this would be safe mission for you. You know how much Gunray wants to kill you."

Ahsoka knew that when Padmé was the queen of Naboo, she captured Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray after he illegally invaded her planet. He was put on trial and found guilty, and he lost all of his wealth and status, though he was never imprisoned. Ever since then, Gunray has, on numerous occasions, attempted to have Padmé assassinated in revenge for ruining his life.

"That's why I'm aiding the attack," stated Padmé. "If I join the attack, Gunray and his droids will focus their attack on me, while you find out what he's up to."

"It's a good idea, but a risky plan," said Ahsoka. "You won't be able to withstand the entire droid army."

"You'll never know how lucky one can be."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi reached the generator room at the north end of the Death Watch complex. Sure enough, some of the turbines were worn down, obviously having not been cared for in a long time. Anakin, having worked with machines as a child, was confident that he could fix them quickly.<p>

"Very well," said Obi-Wan. "You have fun while I scout ahead."

Anakin scoffed. "_You're_ the one with the fun job."

Obi-Wan started at the intersection where they had run into Pre Viszla and planned from there. The corridor opposite the one leading to the generators was, presumably, the one leading to the cell block. It was. Obi-Wan arrived at the entrance to the cell block and explored the surrounding area.

By sheer luck, there was one tunnel leading right off of the cell block and into the wall of the quarry. Obi-Wan looked around the quarry for another tunnel. Incredibly, there was one not too far along the wall, and it was blocked by a cave-in, so the Death Watch didn't use it. Then, Obi-Wan observed the movement of the sun and the shadows it created. In a few hours, it would be nearly sunset, and the wall would be cloaked in shadow, so no one would see them. It was the perfect route!

Obi-Wan ran back to the generators to check on Anakin's progress. And to inform him of the plan.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka went back up to the ship's brig to check on Boba Fett. She knew she didn't want to leave him unattended, and she didn't want to bring him along for the mission.<p>

Yet, she had this feeling that told her Boba could help them. She doubted it, though she decided to try it. She deactivated the ray shield and strode inside. Boba was sitting at the table patiently, as though he was expecting her.

Ahsoka cleared her throat. "We are preparing to infiltrate Nute Gunray's palace on Cato Neimoidia. Senator Amidala is accompanying me."

Boba didn't show his frustration, though Ahsoka could feel it. And she understood why. He felt like he was betraying his fellow bounty hunters – and whoever it was he was working for.

"After much consideration," continued Ahsoka cautiously, "I have decided to bring you with us." Boba looked up in surprise. "I believe there will be instances when you will be useful to us, and I don't want to miss those opportunities."

"You know," said Boba, "for a youngling, you're surprisingly smart."

Ahsoka didn't mean to lash out at him, but she didn't like being called a youngling. "For your information, I'm a _Padawan_! I'm more powerful than a youngling, and most other Jedi of my age!"

Boba stood up angrily. "Then you would understand that _I'm_ more powerful that other boys of my age!"

"We may have a lot in common, but there is one thing that sets us apart; Jedi are _not_ murderers!"

"And that would be why you almost murdered Aurra? And why Master Windu murdered my father?"

"We Jedi only murder to survive!"

"You know what? So do bounty hunters! If we don't do our job, we're dead! What's the difference there?"

Ahsoka was suddenly at a loss for words. Boba actually had a point. Without realizing it, she began to feel sorry for him, for all he must do, and all that he's been through. Part of her wanted to reassure him, to comfort him…

No! She could not do that. That would violate her principals as a Jedi. But still…

* * *

><p>It was nearing dusk on Concordia. Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, still in their Mandalorian disguises, began to hurry towards the prison block. When they arrived, the two guards looked at them. One said, "Well, it's about time. We were beginning to wonder if you <em>were<em> going to come."

Obi-Wan and Anakin shifted slightly to reach for their weapons, fearing they had been discovered.

The guard continued, "Guards are supposed to rotate every two hours. Now stay alert and don't move. Those Jedi could be coming soon." The warriors walked away, leaving the disguised Jedi alone.

"Let's hurry before the next guards come," said Obi-Wan.

The Jedi ran down the corridor, using the Force to scan each cell for life forms. They opened every one with two life forms inside, but they turned out to be nothing more than other prisoners, hostages, or sometimes just rats. After seeing that Duchess Satine and Prime Minister Malsev weren't in them, they shut them again.

By the time they reached the last set of detention cells, the Jedi were exhausted. "We must have checked almost every cell in this place," groaned Anakin. "Are you sure Satine is here?"

"I'm not sure," replied Obi-Wan. "But neither are you. We just need to keep looking."

None of the cells in the past few sets were occupied, nor had they been used in a long time. But when they reached the very last one, Anakin gasped. "There are two people in this one!"

Obi-Wan wasn't looking forward to seeing his teenage crush again, but he took a deep breath and pressed the button. The door slid open.

And there they were. Satine and Malsev Kryze were sitting on the two metal benches, looking sad. When the door opened, they looked up. At first they just stared at each other, and then Satine said, "Aren't those uniforms a little ill-fitting?"

"Huh?" asked Anakin. "Oh, the uniform." He and Obi-Wan took off their helmets to reveal their true identities.

Satine jumped up off the seat. "Anakin! Obi!" She ran to hug Anakin, and then she stopped in front of Obi-Wan. They both cleared their throats and shook hands, much to Anakin's amusement.

Malsev stood up. "Satine, do you know these people?"

Satine gestured to each Jedi. "These are my friends, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi." Then she gestured to Malsev. "And this is my brother, Prime Minister Malsev."

Malsev stepped forward to shake Anakin's hand, and then Obi-Wan's. "So, you the famous 'Obi-Wan' I've heard so much about."

Obi-Wan whirled around to face Satine. "You told him about me?"

"Yes," replied Malsev with a smile. "According to her, you're some kind of damn-fooled idealistic crusader who is contradictorily mad about both brawling and negotiating at the same time."

Anakin couldn't help but burst out laughing, but Obi-Wan was furious. He pointed accusingly at Satine and exclaimed, "You actually think of me _that_ way?"

"You do seem to spend most of your time fighting, even though you claim to be a 'negotiator,'" she replied.

"Well, I'd like to see you try to negotiate with battle droids. In fact, I would pay you to negotiate with General Grievous!"

"You think I'm mad about peace?" she asked, now as angry as Obi-Wan.

"You thought I was mad about 'brawling!'"

"Well, excuse me for trying to end your wretched war without unnecessary bloodshed!"

"Who do you think…?"

Malsev interrupted. "I hate to break up this lively debate, but perhaps we should argue after we've escaped."

"Good idea," agreed Anakin. "We landed our ship in the forest nearby, and we have an escape route planned. If we're lucky, we can get out before they realize what happened."

"Then let's get going," said Satine as she swept past Obi-Wan and out of the cell, hitting him with her shoulder. Anakin replaced his helmet and he and Malsev followed. Obi-Wan took the rear, rubbing his sore arm.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano found Padmé Amidala in the hanger briefing several clones on the upcoming mission. C-3PO and R2-D2 were once again arguing. When the briefing was finished, Ahsoka went up to Padmé and asked, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"<p>

"Of course, Ahsoka. What's wrong?"

"It's about Boba. I don't know what's wrong. I just… I just have this odd feeling about him. I feel like… like…"

"Like you're sorry for him?" guessed Padmé.

"Yes. After all he's done and all he's been through, I feel like I should be comforting him. Do you know what it means?"

Padmé laughed. "I think I do. You think Boba is actually a good person, and if you knew him better, you would like him." Then she added, "Maybe even more than 'like.'"

Ahsoka wanted to object, but for some reason, no words left her mouth. It was forbidden for Jedi to love, but they could still feel attraction, couldn't they? Nothing could stop that. "What should I do?"

"I think you should talk to him, ask him about himself. Then if you tell him some things about you, you could become friends. And I think this mission will be an excellent opportunity to do so."

"Really? How?"

"It's part of the plan. The clones and I will distract the Separatists, and you and my droids will attempt to break into the palace. I think you should also take Boba with you."

Ahsoka was skeptical. "You want us to socialize during a mission?"

"Not during, but whenever you get the chance, try to start a conversation."

Ahsoka sighed. "All right, I'll try it. Thank you, Padmé."

"Don't mention it." Padmé knew exactly what was happening between the teenagers. Ahsoka was at an age when she will become attracted to boys. It was a chemical change that Padmé herself went through, and had to struggle with.

Ahsoka didn't know it yet, but she would be forced to go through the same struggles.

* * *

><p>Now that they had Duchess Satine and Prime Minister Malsev to conceal, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi knew it would be harder for them to escape from the Death Watch base. Even their uniforms wouldn't be enough to save them.<p>

But they had several advantages worked into their plan. For one, there would be fewer Death Watch warriors still awake at night, so there were fewer people to catch them. Also, the setting sun would create a shadow against the wall of the quarry, concealing them better.

"I assume that I don't want to know where you got those uniforms?" asked Satine.

"That would probably be for the best," replied Obi-Wan.

"Hey!" whispered Anakin. "Let's try to keep a little optimism. We've already gotten this far without being discovered, and we haven't left anything that will betray our presence."

* * *

><p>Pre Viszla stood at the entrance to the Concordian mines. It was almost sundown, yet the Jedi still hadn't attacked. He was beginning to get suspicious. Maybe the Jedi had left and would be coming back some other day with reinforcements?<p>

Or perhaps they had already infiltrated the base, and Viszla had never realized. He decided to go for a walk, hoping to find some clue as to the Jedi's location. He didn't find anything out of the ordinary.

Not until he came to the trees. That was where he found the bodies of two half-naked Mandalorians tied to a tree. And lying next to them were two sets of clothes that looked an awful lot like Jedi uniforms.

That's when he realized what had happened. The Jedi had stolen the armor from those poor soldiers and were inside the base, hidden in plain sight.

As soon as he finished his thought, he ran back to the base and sounded the alarm. He picked up a loudspeaker and announced, "Attention, all warriors! The Jedi have infiltrated the compound dressed in stolen armor! Check the identities of every warrior, and create a perimeter!"

* * *

><p>Viszla's announcement was broadcasted over a loudspeaker system throughout the base. Every soldier was now wide awake, and the quarry was riddled with spotlights.<p>

"Well," sighed Malsev, "you must have left some clue."

Anakin threw off his helmet and growled, "It's not my fault! Come on!" He began to run down the hallway.

Obi-Wan took off his helmet and pointed out, "Well, these disguises were your idea."

"You couldn't think of a better plan!" reminded Anakin.

The group ran as quickly as they could down the hall until they came to the door that led out of the mines and into the quarry. Obi-Wan looked around. Just as he had planned, the four fugitives and their escape route were hidden in the shadows. When there were no Death Watch troops nearby, he said, "Clear," and led them to the tunnel with the entrance blocked by a cave-in.

He and Anakin used the Force to move the rocks blocking the entrance. They tumbled down with a series of soft thuds.

"Couldn't you Jedi be a bit quieter?" asked Satine. "I'm surprised your Republic uses you for these reconnaissance missions."

"You should try to be a bit quieter, too, you know," replied Obi-Wan. "Remember how you blew our cover on Raxus?"

"No, _you_ blew our cover when you dropped your metallic weapon, and I was reprimanding you for the clatter it made."

Obi-Wan could have argued further, but instead he led them into the tunnel. And not too soon, either – Malsev was barely hit by a spotlight passing over the tunnel. The two Jedi ignited their lightsabers to serve as lights, and they proceeded down the long, dark tunnel.

* * *

><p>Back over Cato Neimoidia, Ahsoka Tano's clone troopers prepared to board several LAATi gunships and load tanks onto the dropships. Ahsoka, Boba Fett, and C-3PO and R2-D2 were heading towards on ship. Ahsoka thought about what Padmé had said, and decided to start a conversation with Boba.

"As long as you cooperate with us, everything will be okay."

"We'll see," replied Boba coldly.

"How many times have you infiltrated an enemy building?" asked Ahsoka.

"I, uh, I've lost count, actually. But I do know that I've gotten into lot of places more heavily guarded than this."

"Like what?"

"I was once sent to break into an island hideout where several bands of pirates were gathering to attack the Hutts' supply trains. There were auto turrets everywhere, and some stolen Separatist tanks, along with one of your Republic walkers and a few ARC-170s."

"And you actually got away with it?" asked Ahsoka, impressed.

"Mostly. One Hutt ship crashed and _Slave I_ nearly lost a wing. I also have a scar from where I was hit with a lightwhip."

Ahsoka gasped. Boba had been hit by a lightwhip? Those were very rare, nowadays. They resembled Jedi lightsabers, except the blade was long and flexible, like a whip. They're not very effective for swordplay or deflecting bolts, but lethal nonetheless. "Wow. You've been through a lot."

Boba sighed sadly. "Yes."

* * *

><p>The Jedi and Mandalorian leaders were nearing the end of the tunnel. When they came out, they would only be a couple dozen meters between the cliff and the woods, in which their ship was hidden. It seemed that they were home free.<p>

Soon it was light enough for Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi to put away their lightsabers. Obi-Wan peeked out of the exit. There weren't any Mandalorian soldiers in sight. "Our ship isn't too far away. We can make it if we hurry."

The group darted out of the tunnel and ran for the trees. Suddenly, a blaster bolt whizzed past Obi-Wan's head. In response, he and Anakin whipped out their lightsabers and turned around. Pre Viszla and four Death Watch warriors landed in front of the cave.

"At last, you have revealed yourselves," said Viszla. He raised his blaster pistol and shot the stone above the cave entrance, causing it to collapse. "I should have known you Jedi would commit this treachery." He gestured to the uniforms they were still wearing.

"Who is it?" asked Anakin. "Who hired you and a bunch of bounty hunters to do this terrible act?"

"This is all my doing," replied Viszla proudly. "No one is above me here."

"You're a traitor, Viszla!" accused Malsev. "You have corrupted this entire system that Satine has worked so hard to build!"

"She has _destroyed_ the system! We are Mandalorians! Warriors at heart! And now she has humbled us all! I don't know why I bothered to keep you alive. I should kill you, right now."

Viszla drew his ancient darksaber. "Warriors, cover me!" At his signal, all of the soldiers used their jetpacks to hover over the Jedi's heads. Viszla, meanwhile, activated his jetpack and launched himself high into the air. As he lowered, he brought his darksaber down on Obi-Wan.

That's when the fight broke out. The four soldiers opened fire on the Jedi as they fought the Death Watch leader. Malsev and Satine ran to find cover.

Viszla couldn't compare to two Jedi knights in lightsaber combat, but he had the advantage of four warriors hovering out of reach, shooting at the Jedi. Almost every time a lightsaber was swung at him, the blade stopped mid-swing to deflect a blaster bolt, giving Viszla the opportunity to strike with his darksaber. His attacks, however, were always blocked by a Jedi lightsaber.

This process continued for several minutes. Then Obi-Wan deflected a blaster bolt at one of the warriors in the air, and it hit his jetpack. The soldier fell out of the sky and hit the ground hard. While he was stunned, Malsev rushed out, wrestled the blaster from his hands, and shot the Mandalorian.

Malsev took his stolen weapon and took cover behind a tree. Every now and then, he would dart out to fire a few shots at the remaining warriors. With a new target and one less weapon, the soldiers began to slacken. Soon, Malsev had killed another one.

Viszla wasn't doing so well, either. With fewer bolts coming at them, the Jedi had more opportunities to strike at him. At one point, Anakin somersaulted over him and landed behind him. So that he was facing both his adversaries, Viszla sidestepped … right into the path of a stray blaster bolt.

The bolt hit him in the back, knocking him forward. Anakin and Obi-Wan closed in on him and raised their lightsabers. As they brought them down, Viszla rolled out of the way and got up. He activated his jetpack to fly into the air, but the blaster bolt had disabled it!

The Jedi drove Viszla back against the cliff, and then a twirl by Obi-Wan knocked the darksaber out of his hand. Anakin and Obi-Wan pointed their lightsabers at him, pinning him against the wall.

"You've lost, Governor," said Obi-Wan.

"Oh, I don't think so," replied Viszla. With one swift movement he threw a thermal detonator at Satine. The Jedi dove towards her to save her. Obi-Wan used the Force to throw the bomb into the trees. When they all turned back, the remaining two Death Watch soldiers were carrying Viszla up the cliff.

Angrily, Anakin lashed with the Force, knocking the three Mandalorians away from each other. The other soldiers recovered, but they were forced to watch in horror as their leader fell back to the ground. Satine screamed as, with a terrifying crunch, Viszla hit the ground and died.

The remaining soldiers didn't try to fight the Jedi anymore, but instead fled back into the quarry. Once they were gone, Obi-Wan scowled at Anakin. "That wasn't very Jedi-like, Anakin."

"Well, what would you have done?" asked Anakin. "Now, come on. Let's get out of here." He, Satine, and Malsev ran into the woods to board their ship, but Obi-Wan lingered a bit. He went to pick up the darksaber where Viszla had dropped it. He decided to return it to the Jedi Temple, from where it had been stolen.

* * *

><p>The entire Death Watch movement gathered the next day to pay their respects to their former leader. Pre Viszla was buried outside of the base at a state funeral. The organization would choose a new leader, but they knew they would never be as much of a threat ever again.<p>

Darth Sidious knew this to be true, and he also knew he could not let the Death Watch in his private army anymore.


	9. The Unexpected Ally

The Unexpected Ally (Ep. #9, Prod. # 10)

* * *

><p>Tension is building! Bounty hunter Boba Fett has joined the private army of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. But on a mission to deliver a holodisk containing secret battle plans, Boba was found and captured by Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano.<p>

Boba has confessed that the cyborg bounty hunter, AO-327, is guarding Separatist leader Viceroy Nute Gunray, who is working on his own plan to destroy the Republic. With the help of Senator Padmé Amidala, the two teenagers prepare to assault Gunray's palace and discover his true intentions. But torn between their feelings for each other, will the unlikely duo succeed…?

* * *

><p>Three <em>Acclamator I<em>-class assault ships lowered themselves into Cato Neimoidia's atmosphere. With their triangular shape and red markings, they closely resembled the larger _Venator_-class star destroyers hovering in space above the planet. The assault ships were flanked by dozens of LAAT gunships and dropships carrying clone troopers and tanks to the surface.

Their destination was the palace of greedy Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray. When it was learned that the Separatist leader was plotting against the Republic, a fleet of Republic cruisers was dispatched to Cato Neimoidia immediately.

On one gunship, Senator Padmé Amidala, Gunray's long-time nemesis, contacted the Jedi commander in another gunship. "Ahsoka, do you read me?"

Ahsoka Tano spoke into her wrist comm. "Loud and clear, Padmé."

"Good. Remember, you need to sneak into the palace and find out what Gunray's up to while I fight the battle."

"Are you sure you still want to go through with this?" asked Ahsoka uncertainly. "You know what will happen to you if Gunray catches you."

"I've said it many times; I'm not afraid to die."

Cato Neimoidia was comprised of several large, rocky mesas connected by wide bridges. Nute Gunray's palace was situated on one of these mesas. As soon as they came within sight of it, the gunships split up. Ahsoka's gunship descended underneath the bridges and flew around to the back of the palace.

Once he found a flat surface, the pilot set the ship down and opened the doors to reveal its five lone passengers. Ahsoka took the lead, alongside a clone trooper volunteer called Spider. They were followed by Padmé's blue-and-white astromech droid R2-D2, and her golden protocol droid, C-3PO. Trudging behind was the bounty hunter Boba Fett, who had been stripped of his Mandalorian armor and weapons by the clones.

Ahsoka had brought Boba along despite the clones' worries, justifying that he had information that could help with the mission. But between her and Padmé, the real reason was so she could get to know him better. Ahsoka didn't know what it was, but when she looked into his eyes for the first time, she saw something that betrayed years of hardship. She saw his true personality, and she figured perhaps they could be friends.

She had no idea how close they would get.

C-3PO expressed his concern to his droid counterpart. "Oh, I have a very bad feeling about him."

R2-D2 replied in his language of beeps and whistles, which C-3PO was programmed to understand.

"No, Artoo. _You_ just wait and see. This mission will not end happily. I still don't understand why _I_ have to go in there!"

More beeps.

"Of course I respect mistress Padmé! But you don't recognize danger until you step right into it! We are going into a Separatist dwelling with a bounty hunter as our guide! How could you not be worried about that?"

R2-D2 whistled and strode forward on his three treaded legs.

"Oh, sure. _You_ can take care of yourself. But what about me? I have no defensive programming whatsoever!"

R2-D2 emitted two beeps in rapid succession, to which C-3PO replied, "How dare you!"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes and fell into step next to Boba. "Sometimes, I just don't understand droids."

Boba hesitated a second and replied, "Where did the gold one get all its worry?"

"He was rebuilt by my master." Ahsoka sighed and corrected herself. "My _former _master."

"You miss him?" asked Boba.

"Yeah. A lot."

"I didn't think you Jedi were allowed to miss people."

"Attachment is forbidden, though we're allowed to miss people," replied Ahsoka. "It's really complicated. Sometimes, I don't understand half of what the Jedi code means."

"Nothing is printed in black and white," recited Boba, remembering something his father once told him. "Sometimes, you have to do what you want to do, even if you don't think you're allowed to. That's how bounty hunters live. They don't strictly obey the law, but they find ways of bending it."

Ahsoka thought about this last statement. There was some truth behind it, she supposed, though there were always instances when even the most kindhearted beings skirt the law.

* * *

><p>The doors to Padmé Amidala's gunship opened and she surveyed the lay of the land. "Captain Rex, tell the pilots to land on the nearest adjacent mesa. It will serve as a good base."<p>

Clone Captain Rex nodded. "Yes, Senator." Then he spoke into his wrist comm. "All pilots, we're camping on that rock to the right!"

The convoy turned and flew towards the mesa Padmé had indicated. The gunships then landed on the rock, while the dropships set their tanks down and flew away. Most of the tanks were standard six-legged AT-TE walkers, but there was one experimental vehicle among them.

The first edition Multi-Purpose Command Tank, more commonly called the MP-CT-1, was twice as long, wide, and tall as an AT-TE, and was definitely more lethal. It had a total of six legs and round, metal feet that could be turned on their sides and rotated to make the tank roll, and each foot had an emergency rocket underneath that would allow the tank to fly short distances.

In the front of the tank was a two-person semi-spherical cabin with a pair of light blasters attached underneath. The rest of the tank's body was the shape of a cylinder lying on its side, except it was wider than it was tall. On top of the tank was a radar dish and shield generator connected to the command station computer consoles on the inside. The rest of the interior was reserved for storing troops and weapons on the second story, and even a medical station next to the command station on the first story.

Even more impressive was the tank's weaponry. In four corners around the cabin were four heavy ball-and-socket blaster cannons, and there were four more in the same respective positions in the rear of the tank. On each side was rotating launcher that held four missiles each. There were more missiles stored inside the tank. On the top, in front of the radar dish, was a heavy artillery cannon turret that could elevate and turn 360 degrees.

While most people were impressed by the invention, some were concerned by the bulk and expense of something that was built to be destroyed. However, there were rumors spreading that these problems would soon be solved. Apparently, alternate stripped-down versions were being produced to contain only the functions needed for their primary roles.

Padmé wondered if such a large force was necessary, but then reminded herself that she had no idea what Gunray had in store for them.

* * *

><p>Nute Gunray looked out of his office window at the gathering Republic troops. Gunray was a Neimoidian with greenish-gray skin and bulging red eyes with yellow horizontal pupils. And, like most of his species, he was extremely greedy and cowardly.<p>

And watching his beloved treasure trove of a home being surrounded by Republic clones, he was almost as afraid as he was while talking to the hologram of Darth Sidious. If there was one thing he could not allow, it was losing his wealth to lesser beings.

Behind him, the cyborg bounty hunter, AO-327, crossed his arms and shook his head. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Viceroy. Naturally, this is the first place the Republic would start looking for you."

"All the more reason to come here," replied Gunray with his gravelly voice and exaggerated dialogue. "I have this palace heavily defended at all times."

"Which sounds like a waste of time if you ask me."

"I never did ask you. My money must be protected, and instead of dividing my troops to defend us in different parts of the galaxy, why not join them and defend us both at the same time?" He chuckled at his supposed "brilliance."

"I've broken into some pretty safe banks throughout the galaxy, and I don't see why you couldn't use them."

"Because they can be easily broken into, as you have just proved!" snapped Gunray.

AO-327 gave a mechanical snort. He had learned many things during his bounty hunting career. Things Gunray would pay a lot of money to learn.

AO-327 was born to a single mother who became deathly ill prior to childbirth. This caused the baby to be born with several birth defects. It seemed like he would die. Then an anonymous donor paid to install cybernetic implants to save the future bounty hunter.

AO-327 was raised in an orphanage, where the other children either avoided or bullied him because he was different. His self-esteem plummeted, and he became the cold-hearted bounty hunter he was hired to be.

His implants included a rebreather, which recycled air to provide him with a continuous supply of oxygen; a fully flexible mechanical skeleton to replace his missing bones; and artificial nerves to enhance his senses and thinking skills.

As a bounty hunter, he wore titanium armor and a skull-shaped helmet, plus a backpack that stored energy for his concussion rifle, connected to the pack by an aluminum-alloy hose. He also had pockets on the backpack to hold grenades, a pair of macrobiniculars, and a comlink.

"Wait!" gasped Gunray. "There's someone down there who's not a clone. Who is it?"

AO-327 pulled out his macrobinoculars and surveyed the camp. "Bah! It's just some woman."

"Is she a Jedi?" Gunray asked nervously.

"Doesn't look like it…"

Gunray snatched the macrobinoculars from AO-327's hands. "Give me those!" The Neimoidian looked through the tool and sighed reverently. "Why, it's Senator Amidala," he breathed maliciously.

Gunray had never gotten over the invasion of Naboo, even though it was over twelve years ago. The invasion, coupled with Queen Amidala's cooperation, would have won him substantial wealth and power. But the Queen tricked him, and he lost most of his wealth and power.

Since then, Gunray had tried, and failed, many times to assassinate the woman who ruined his life. And now she was on _his_ property, invading _his_ planet! How dare she! "Commander!"

The office door opened and a battle droid with yellow markings stepped in. "Yes, Viceroy?"

"Prepare all troops for battle. Do whatever you want with the clones, but bring me that senator!"

"Roger, roger." The droid nodded its head, and then turned to leave.

AO-327 broke in. "_All_ of them? You can't commit every droid to the battle. She's trying to trick you!"

"There is no way any clones will get into this palace," stated Gunray confidently. "And you will stay right with me! I will need protection."

"No doubt about that," muttered AO-327.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano approached the back door of Gunray's palace. "It looks sealed, and I don't see any way to open the door."<p>

"Oh, I told you it was dangerous here!" whimpered C-3PO. "Let's go back and tell mistress Padmé."

R2-D2 beeped an observation.

"You don't need guards to make a place dangerous, Artoo. Who knows what horrible traps await us."

"We need to find a computer terminal or something," said Ahsoka. "Come on, I'll need your help." She turned to Boba Fett and Spider. "Stay here and watch for enemy droids."

"Yes, sir!" replied Spider.

Ahsoka and the droids rounded a corner and Spider leaned into Boba and whispered, "So what's your plan for escape?"

"Escape?" repeated Boba, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about getting you out of here so you can complete the mission the Sith lord gave you!"

Boba gasped. "Slick? What are you doing here?"

"Hello!" exclaimed the clone traitor Slick. "The boss sent me to infiltrate the army, posing as a clone trooper called 'Spider.' Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I remember now."

"Good. So how are we going to do this?"

Boba cleared his throat. "Actually, I was sort of planning on just playing along for the time being."

Slick groaned. "Oh, you got to be kidding me! You're with _her_ all of a sudden?"

"Of course not! I can't leave yet because she still has the holodisk I was supposed to deliver. I need to gain her trust so she'll give me back the disk. Then you can help me escape."

"I hope so," replied Slick darkly. "He's not going like your new strategy."

"Just play along with me. We'll be out of here soon."

Just then, the door slid open. Ahsoka and the droids came back around the corner. "Oh, good," said Ahsoka, "It worked! Let's go."

Slick gave Boba one long look, then followed the Jedi into the Separatist dwelling.

* * *

><p>A procession of Republic walkers marched across the wide bridge that led to Nute Gunray's palace. Leading the march was the MP-CT-1, followed by six AT-TEs and a company of clone troopers. Padmé Amidala stood inside the MP-CT-1 at the command center.<p>

The holographic projector displayed the palace and the tanks approaching it. Padmé turned to Captain Rex. "Captain, we need to buy Ahsoka enough time to sneak into the palace."

Rex nodded. "I agree. Should we fire some warning shots at the palace?"

"Well, just one or two. I don't want to scare Gunray away."

"Yes, ma'am." Rex turned to the pilots in the cabin. "Fire the cannons twice, then hold here."

The pilots complied and sent a message to the other AT-TEs. "Prepare for battle!"

* * *

><p>Every occupant in the palace felt the building shake as it was hit by two large laser blasts. C-3PO completely lost his balance and fell over. "Oh! Help! I think I'm melting! Artoo! This is all your fault!"<p>

R2-D2 chuckled.

"You're fine," stated Ahsoka bluntly. "It looks like the attack has begun."

* * *

><p>Nute Gunray screamed. "No! Those Republic fiends have already damaged my palace! I hope they can pay for it!"<p>

AO-327 groaned. This guy was hopeless.

Gunray's mechno-chair beeped and a hologram of the battle droid commander sprang up. "Uh, sir? We're under attack."

"That's why I ordered you to prepare for battle, you stupid droid!" exclaimed the Viceroy.

"Oh, right. Uh, roger, roger." The hologram disappeared.

* * *

><p>The Republic tanks continued their march across the bridge. In a while, they saw a large garage door on the side of the palace open to reveal a battalion of battle droids heading their way!<p>

"Senator, we've got company!" reported the MP-CT-1's navigator. "Looks like some regulars and supers, and several tanks."

"I guess Gunray really wants a lot of protection," said Padmé Amidala.

"Or he really wants to capture you," pointed out Captain Rex.

Padmé didn't linger on this last statement, and instead began giving orders. "Prepare to fire on those droids, but don't cause too much damage to the palace."

But as they drew closer, they saw that the droids weren't moving. They were standing on the other side of the bridge, as if waiting for them to come!

"What are they doing?" asked Rex. "Droids don't just stand around and wait to be destroyed."

"I got a bad feeling about this," said Padmé.

* * *

><p>Three Vulture droids flew through the field of mesas towards Nute Gunray's palace. They had been sent a message from the palace to skim the surface of Cato Neimoidia until the saw the palace. Then they had to fire on the bridge directly in front of it.<p>

The droids scanned the area until the bridge came within sight of their photoreceptors. Then they each fired their four missiles.

Everyone in the Republic walkers was thrown off their feet when the missiles hit the bridge. Then they felt themselves rise off the floor as the tanks fell. Realizing they were about to die, they screamed all the way down.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano, Boba Fett, Slick, and the two droids felt the ground shake as the bridge exploded. C-3PO screamed, "Oh! Oh my! What did I tell you? It's a trap!"<p>

"Shut up, shiny!" yelled Slick. "It's probably just some earthquake."

"There _aren't_ any earthquakes on Cato Neimoidia," negated Ahsoka. "Something big just happened. We need to hurry."

The group ran down the hall, C-3PO hurrying along behind them. "Wait!" he yelled. "Slow down! I wasn't built for running!"

R2-D2 rotated his domed head to look at the slow droid. Then he beeped a short phrase and, before C-3PO could react, opened one of the panels in his body and fired a suction cable at his friend. Once the end of the cable was attached to his leg, R2-D2 rolled after the others, pulling C-3PO across the floor.

"Artoo! What are you doing? Oh! Ow! That hurt!" In response to the droid's screaming and scraping against the metal floor, Ahsoka turned around to saw what the fuss was about.

"Artoo!" she scolded. "Let him go."

"Yes!" cried C-3PO. "Please stop this – ooh! – madness at once!"

R2-D2 was clearly enjoying this, so he didn't let the droid go."

"Hey!" roared Slick. "You heard the commander! Now let go before the clankers hear you."

R2-D2 whined in disappointment, and finally released the cable.

C-3PO managed to stand up and begin dusting himself off. "Now look what you've done to me! You owe me a nice, long oil bath after this!" He tried to pull the suction cable off of his leg, but he wasn't strong enough. Finally, he tripped and fell with a loud CLANG!

Ahsoka ran up to the droid and helped pull off the cable and stand him up. "You know, between your screaming and his arguing, it's a wonder the whole palace doesn't know we're here!"

C-3PO was struck dumb. When he didn't say anything, the group continued down the hall. But he fell in line with R2-D2 and whispered, "Now don't you let me forget this! Why I should stick my neck out for you is quite beyond my capacity."

* * *

><p>Outside the palace, it was eerily quiet. Although the Republic tanks had fallen to their destruction when the bridge exploded, Nute Gunray had ordered the battle droids to guard the palace in case the senator called for reinforcements.<p>

Then, one battle droid turned its metal head one way, and then the other. "What was that?"

"What was what?" asked the droid next to it.

"It sounds like rockets firing."

"Rockets?" repeated the second droid, suddenly alert. "Commander! We just heard rockets firing!"

The battle droid commander, sitting in the turret of an AAT tank, raised a pair of macrobinoculars and scanned the sky and landscape. "There's nothing out there. You're circuits must be defective."

"Roger, roger," replied the two soldiers.

It was quiet for a while, but then a low rumbling sound was heard. "There it is again!" exclaimed the first droid.

"I told you," stressed the commander, "there's nothing out there!" But no sooner than it said that, the MP-CT-1 hovered up onto the mesa, using its emergency rockets. It pointed its guns at the tanks, and the droid commander's last words were "Why didn't you droids say something!?"

The MP-CT-1 opened fire and soon droid and tank parts were flying in all directions.

* * *

><p>Nute Gunray watched the ambush from his office. "The senator has tricked us! She will pay for this!"<p>

"You might as well get to your escape ship, Viceroy," said AO-327. "They've destroyed all of the droids."

"I'm not leaving my treasures!" exclaimed Gunray. "Besides, they haven't destroyed _all_ of my droids." He pushed a button on his desk and a nearby hatch opened, revealing six elite commando droids and six rolling droidekas. "You, bounty hunter! Lead them down there, and bring me that senator. I want her alive!"

Before AO-327 could question him, the Viceroy stormed out of the office to fetch his aides. The special droids stood in two straight lines, awaiting his orders. "Follow me." After he said that, he took his concussion rifle and shattered the window.

AO-327 jumped out the window and slid down the sloped roof. The special droids followed suit.

* * *

><p>All of the clone troopers inside the MP-CT-1 deployed to join the fight. Even Padmé Amidala was shooting droids. The battle droids shot at the clones while the AATs used their heavy laser turrets to fire at the MP-CT-1. However, the walker's ray shields protected it from damage. The walker, in turn, fired its laser cannons and missile launchers at the dwindling Separatist forces.<p>

Captain Rex ran up alongside Padmé, firing his twin concussion rifles. "Senator, I think we can win this fight!"

"I just hope nothing has happened to Ahsoka," replied the senator.

"Look out!" exclaimed a clone trooper. "We got commandos and destroyers!"

Padmé looked around, but didn't see anything. Then she realized that the clone was pointing upward. She was surprised to see six commando droids and six droidekas sliding down the roof of the palace. They were being led by AO-327!  
>"It's the bounty hunter!" exclaimed Rex. He then turned to the clone manning the artillery turret. "Destroy those droids!"<p>

"No!" ordered Padmé. "If we fire artillery shells at them, we'll destroy the palace!"

"Use your regular blasters!" ordered Rex.

The clones fired at the newcomers, though their distance and altitude made them hard to hit. Then they landed on the ground and took up their defensive positions. The commando droids stuck their blasters through their handheld energy shields and shot at the clones. The droidekas unfolded and activated their deflector shields, firing their twin double blasters.

"Take cover!" yelled Rex as clones began to fall. The Republic forces all ran behind the MP-CT-1 to save themselves from the new blasterfire.

Padmé spared a glance from behind the tank to observe the enemy. "I don't know how we're going to get out of this, Captain."

"Their shields aren't strong enough to resist artillery fire. The gunners will take care of them."

But at that moment, AO-327 had set his concussion rifle to fire bursts of electricity. He took careful aim and fired. The MP-CT-1 was engulfed in lightning and shut down. To confirm its sudden vulnerability, three shots blew open the driver's cabin.

"This complicates things," stated Rex.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano peered around a corner to look out for approaching droids. She saw none. "All clear." She motioned to the rest of her group to follow. They had been snooping around the palace trying to avoid detection.<p>

Slick sighed. "I signed up for a good fight, not all this sneaking around."

"Sorry, Spider," apologized Ahsoka. "But the whole point of the mission is to sneak in and find out what Gunray's planning. I don't think we'll find out if he knows we're here."

"I think it's too quiet," commented Boba Fett.

"What makes you say that?" asked Ahsoka, remembering what Padmé told her to do. "Are you so used to action that you can't be at peace unless you're in the middle of it?"

Boba shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I've learned that you have to fight to survive. And it seems that life is always a fight."

"I know what you mean. In the life of a Jedi, your situation changes drastically in short periods of time. When the war's over, it'll be hard for any Jedi to get used to peace again."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," replied Boba. "It isn't fair that someone like you can't have a moment's rest."

Ahsoka was struck speechless. Did Boba actually compliment her? Or even sympathize with her? Something was definitely happening to them.

Before Ahsoka could think any more, a side hatch opened and three battle droids ran into the hallway. "Did we lose them?" asked one droid.

The other two droids looked back the way they had come and shook their heads. "Nope," replied the second droid. "No sign of them."

"I think we're safe at last!" said the third droid with an electronic sigh. Then it turned around and, at the sight of the Jedi and clone trooper, screamed. "Ah! They've found us!"

"Blast them!" ordered the first droid. All three droids raised their blasters and began firing shots. Ahsoka activated her lightsabers and deflected the shots while Slick shot at the droids.

Unfortunately, these battle droids were smarter than they looked, and they found cover in two recessed doorways. This protection made it harder to hit them, and easier to be hit by them. One bolt connected with Slick's right arm. The clone yelped and fell to the floor, his blaster clattering away.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed C-3PO. "He's been shot! The poor clone!"

Slick groaned. "I'm not dead, you pathetic droid!"

R2-D2 emitted several chirps in rapid successiveness.

"Well!" exclaimed C-3PO. "I was merely being concerned! I doubt _you_ would understand."

"Stop talking and help me!" interjected Ahsoka, who was now fighting the droids alone.

"What?! Now, there's been some horrible mistake. I'm a protocol droid, not a battle droid!"

Boba ran out into the fray, dodging blasterfire, and picked up Slick's blaster. Before the droids could comprehend his actions, Boba somersaulted forward and fired three shots, each of which hit a battle droid square in the chest.

Ahsoka stepped forward in amazement. "Great shot."

A smile slowly brightened Boba's face. "I told you, I need to fight for my life."

Ahsoka returned the smile and went to inspect the fallen clone. She was thankful that the only wound she could find was on his shoulder, and it didn't look too serious. "I think you'll be fine. We'll have a medical droid look at you when we get back to the cruiser. For now, just rest it."

Slick groaned as he tried to stand up. "But I need to use my arm to fight. I promised to protect you, sir."

"I'll protect her," said Boba, still holding the blaster. "Trust me on this."

"I do," said Ahsoka, still smiling.

Slick wasn't as happy. "Fine, but I just hope you do the _right_ thing."

Boba knew what he meant. They still had a mission to Darth Sidious, and Boba had to complete it. But would Sidious let him get away with his treatment towards Ahsoka?

That doesn't matter, he reminded himself. He was merely gaining her trust so he could get the holodisk back. But when he did get it back, what then? He didn't feel like running away on her was the noble thing to do. Then again, neither did staying with her.

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala and the clones had lost their cover behind the MP-CT-1 and were being assaulted by AO-327 and the droids. Clones were slowly dying around them, although they did manage to destroy a few of the droids. But now, even more droids and tanks were pouring out of the palace<p>

Suddenly, Padmé realized that the bounty hunter was nowhere to be seen. Where had he gone?

Almost as quickly as she came up with the thought, a metallic hand wrapped around her throat and pulled her up on top of the tank. She tried to scream, but AO-327 was choking her. The bounty hunter raised his blaster and pointed it at her head!

The last sound Padmé heard was Captain Rex yelling "Senator!"

* * *

><p>Rex watched as AO-327 fired a stun shot at Padmé, knocking her unconscious. Then he slung her over his shoulder and flew to the top of the palace on a STAP speeder. The senator had been kidnapped! Rex felt hopeless. The battle was lost, and Padmé would surely be killed.<p>

Then he looked at the sky and saw a sight that never failed to calm him. "Reinforcements! They've sent in reinforcements!" All of the clones looked up and cheered. There were three more _Acclamator_-class cruisers and LAAT carriers descending towards the battlefield.

But Rex knew someone had to rescue Padmé, and it might as well be him. The reinforcements would mop up outside, so he didn't worry too much about the battle being won or lost. "Spark! Fuse!"

Two fellow star troopers ran up to Rex. They were the remaining two clones who had served with Rex on the mission to Kashyyyk. "What do you need, Captain?" asked Fuse.

"We're going into the palace to rescue the senator. Are you up for it?"

"You bet we are!" said Spark, laughing in anticipation.

"Great. Now let's move!" The three brave clones ran into the Separatist stronghold, boldly facing anything that would stand in their way.

* * *

><p>Nute Gunray was as enraged as ever. That bounty hunter scum broke his valuable office window! He'd better be able to pay for this!<p>

Almost in response to his thoughts, AO-327 flew through the broken window on a STAP, carrying someone on his back. "You owe me for this, bounty hunter!" Gunray shouted with rage.

AO-327 chuckled. "Well, I think _you_ owe _me_ for this!" He dumped the body on the floor, allowing Gunray to see who it was. Then he revived her with a syringe.

The Viceroy chuckled in delight. "Senator Amidala. At last we can finish this."

Padmé looked from AO-327 to Gunray. "You think revenge will solve all of your problems, Viceroy, but it won't. If you kill me, you will be arrested again and tried this time for murder!"

Gunray laughed. "Ah, but I have an escape ship loaded and waiting. Soon I will be gone, and you will be dead."

* * *

><p>C-3PO yelled as he hit his head on the ceiling yet again. "Oh! I must protest! I was not built for such extraneous activity." They were now crawling through a service vent that would lead to Gunray's office. It was just large enough for Ahsoka Tano, Boba Fett, and Slick to crawl in, and for R2-D2 to roll on his three treads with the ceiling barely touching his domed head. But C-3PO's limited joints did not allow him much freedom.<p>

Slick groaned in annoyance. "Why did we bring him along?"

Ahsoka replied, "We need the droids to talk to the central computer system and get us through security doors."

"Droids are just naturally whiny," said Boba.

C-3PO attempted to raise a finger. "I'll have you know that I – ouch! Impossible architecture! – I am well learned in proper etiquette in exactly 31,174 diverse cultures, and…"

"Well, we don't want to hear about them all!" snapped Slick.

"Humph. I don't believe I've ever met a clone like you before."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Ahsoka.

"Well, number one: Your voice is lower and slightly gravelly. Number two: You do not appear very content with the other clones. Number three: You are either angry or impolite at most times. Number four…"

"I get it!" growled Slick. "I'm different from the others. Is that bad? No? I didn't think so."

Ahsoka shushed them. "I hear voices."

They crawled towards the source of the voices and came to a room. Not just any room, but Nute Gunray's office! They looked around and saw Gunray at his desk, and AO-327 facing him. Then the bounty hunter moved to reveal a cuffed figure.

"Padmé!" gasped Ahsoka.

Padmé Amidala spoke. "Why are you doing this? What do you hope to gain?"

Gunray chuckled. "I do not believe you realize how much danger your Republic is in. My generous Banking Clan associates and I are funding a Separatist base, in which several missile launchers are being built."

"Missiles?" repeated Padmé.

"Yes. Special missiles with hyperdrives packed with nuclear explosives. When launched, they can drop out of hyperspace behind planetary defenses, and cause catastrophic damage upon impact!"

Padmé yelled in surprise. "How could you? You want to destroy entire civilizations? You really _are_ a murderer!"

"Come now, Senator. There's nothing you can do. The launchers are almost completed, and are located in the most hostile place on Korriban."

"Korriban?" repeated Boba, Slick, and AO-327 at the same time.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed C-3PO. "Not the Sith planet!" Ahsoka tried to cover his vocorder, but it was too late.

"What was that?" demanded Gunray. "You have friends sneaking around in here, Senator? Bounty hunter, kill her!"

Ahsoka didn't know what to do. If they revealed themselves, Gunray would kill Padmé, and if they didn't, he would still kill her.

Just then, an explosion blew the door off, and Captain Rex, Spark, and Fuse ran into the room, shooting at the battle droids. Ahsoka took advantage of the distraction and leaped out of the vent, followed by Boba and Slick, and the droids tumbling behind them.

Gunray screamed. "It's a…a…J…j…JEDI!

* * *

><p>What ensued in Viceroy Gunray's office next was utter chaos. The Jedi and clones were shooting everywhere destroying the battle droids. AO-327 had upended Gunray's desk to use as a protective cover while he shot at the clones. Gunray himself was crawling around the perimeter of the office, trying to escape. Padmé had even stood up and, because her hands were cuffed, was kicking the droids.<p>

AO-327 looked out from his hiding spot and targeted Star troopers Spark and Fuse, who were standing back-to-back shooting at the droids with their repeating blasters. The bounty hunter targeted them with his blaster and fired. A ball of explosive energy hit Fuse, blowing him up and knocking Spark out the broken window.

Pretty soon, all of the battle droids had been destroyed, and Boba Fett and Captain Rex began shooting at AO-327 while Ahsoka deflected his concussion bolts. Rex's concussion rifles soon reduced Gunray's desk to splinters, leaving AO-327 vulnerable.

Boba ended the fight by shooting AO-327 in the chest plate, knocking him over. Then he stunned the already dazed bounty hunter, rendering him unconscious. Boba stared at his work with disbelief.

Ahsoka couldn't believe it either. Boba was supposed to be working with AO-327, and yet he had just captured him for Republic custody. "Boba, I thought he was your ally."

Boba replied, "He was going to kill you."

Ahsoka was even more surprised to hear this. Boba just confessed that he cared for her! Was it true? Were they actually…?

Ahsoka's thought was interrupted by sound of spaceship engines revving up. Then they all looked out the window to see a _Sheathipede_-class shuttle fly away.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," groaned Rex. Viceroy Nute Gunray had escaped yet again.

* * *

><p>The survivors of the fight in Nute Gunray's office went back outside, leading the now handcuffed AO-327. The rest of the Separatist Army had been destroyed by Jedi Master Plo Koon and the Wolfpack. He went to greet Ahsoka. "I take it the Viceroy escaped."<p>

Ahsoka sighed. "Again. Sorry we let him get away."

"It was not your fault. You've done well, capturing the bounty hunter. And you've discovered Gunray's plot, I hope."

"Yes. He's building missile launchers in the most hostile place on Korriban."

"We can't go there!" exclaimed Slick.

"Why not, Spider?" asked Padmé.

Plo explained, misinterpreting Slick's justification. "Korriban was the home of the ancient Sith Lords. Some of them have their own tombs in what's known as the Valley of the Sith Lords. Of course, it became deserted when the Sith became extinct 1,000 years ago. Some say that the valley is haunted by the spirits of the Sith Lords."

"The most hostile place," guessed Ahsoka. "Haunted or not, we have to go there before they launch those missiles."

"Yes," agreed Plo. "However, I must stay here to secure the planet, and Senator Amidala has been summoned back to Coruscant."

"Oh, thank goodness!" exclaimed C-3PO.

Plo continued, "I'm afraid you may have to handle this mission on your own, Ahsoka."

"Oh, I won't be alone," replied Ahsoka. "Boba will come with me."

Plo Koon eyed Boba suspiciously. "Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Yes. After all, he did just save my life back there." At this statement, Boba turned away in embarrassment.

Padmé smiled at Ahsoka. "I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure you'll make a great team."

They all boarded a gunship that ferried them back to the Jedi cruiser. Ahsoka and Boba smiled at each other the whole trip.

* * *

><p>Before Padmé went into her yacht to return to Coruscant, she gave Ahsoka a quick piece of advice. "Remember, you should get to know Boba more. I think he has similar feelings for you."<p>

Ahsoka sighed sadly. "But we're not allowed to have feelings for each other. The Jedi Code forbids it."

"But you can't stop it. You'll never know what time will bring, Ahsoka. In case we never see each other again, remember that I have faith in you."

The two friends shared one long, final hug before Padmé's silver ship took off and disappeared into space.

* * *

><p>Boba Fett and Slick escorted AO-327 to his cell in the Jedi cruiser's brig. Once they were inside, Slick pinned Boba against the wall. "I hope you're happy, kid! The Jedi trusts you now, so get back the disk so we can all get out of here!"<p>

Boba pushed the clone away. "It's too early. Once I help her with this next mission, she'll be convinced enough!"

"Oh, really?" asked AO-327. "And what happens if the Sith Lord finds out you led the Jedi into his lair? We need to escape _before_ the mission, or we'll be considered traitors!"

"Just wait. I promise to finish my job, no matter what it takes."

Before anyone could argue further, they heard the turbolift slide open. Ahsoka strode towards the cell. "I hope you're not fighting again."

"Not at all, sir," replied Slick.

Ahsoka turned to Boba. "You know Boba, if you want, you can sleep in my quarters tonight."

Boba was surprised. Tempting though the offer sounded, he shook his head. "No, I can live in the cell. Besides, you need a place to sleep as well."

"I'll be up on the bridge tonight, commanding the fleet. The room is going to be empty, so you can keep it warm."

Boba smiled. "OK. I accept your offer." He followed Ahsoka out of the brig. The two new friends walked together, hand in hand.


	10. Return of the Zillo Beast

Return of the Zillo Beast (Ep. #10 Prod. #9)

* * *

><p>An uncounted factor! As part of his plot to overthrow the Galactic Republic, Sith Lord Darth Sidious has hired four bounty hunters to destroy military outposts protecting Coruscant, the capitol planet of the Republic. The quartet has devised a careful and decisive plan of execution for the first outpost, located on Brentaal IV.<p>

Little do they know that the Jedi have lost contact with the outpost months ago, and have sent an investigation party, led by Jedi Masters Shaak Ti and Oppo Rancisis. What mysterious horrors await both opposing groups…?

* * *

><p>A cargo cruiser came out of hyperspace over Brentaal IV. But it wasn't an ordinary cruiser; it was the disguised battleship that Darth Sidious had lent to his private army! Presently, it was being piloted by four dangerous bounty hunters. The blue duros, Cad Bane, clad in a brown leather jacket and oversized sunhat; white skinned, long haired Aurra Sing, a former Jedi youngling turned assassin; the green lizard-like Trandoshan, Bossk; and the heavily bandaged Dengar.<p>

They looked out of the forward viewport and observed Brentaal IV from space. It was mostly a planet of plains and mountains, but there was also one large ocean. The planet itself was at the crossroads of two major hyperspace lanes, and was only a dozen or so parsecs from Coruscant.

This location is what made the planet so important that the Republic would build and outpost there. In case the Separatists tried to attack Coruscant using either route, they would have to attempt to get past the outpost, which was fitted with equipment that would immediately sense the invasion fleet and report it to the Republic.

"Remember the plan," said Bane. "We go in disguised as a cargo ship delivering supplies to the base, then when we get close enough we attack the clones and ships…"

"…and then we storm the buildings and finish off the staff," finished Aurra, "and we hack into the computers and report our findings to our client. We know, Bane."

"You'd better, Aurra!" Bane turned back to the viewport and continued watching as the base drew nearer.

Bossk, who was at the controls, flicked his forked tongue and said, "We're almost in range. They'll be contacting us any moment."

Dengar stepped up to the transmitter. "I'll handle this." The bounty hunters waited patiently for the outpost's controller to ask for identification, but the transmission never came.

"What's going on?" asked Aurra finally. "Why haven't they contacted us yet?"

"I don't know," answered Bossk. "This base isn't following protocol."

"Do they know we're coming?" suggested Dengar.

"No, if they knew who we were they would have attacked already," said Bane. "There's something wrong here."

The ship flew ever closer to the base. It was situated on a small island far out into the ocean. When they were close enough, the bounty hunters saw that there was no movement on the landing pad. But as they got closer, they saw three clones, only they were…

"…Dead!" exclaimed Aurra. "Someone else beat us to the job."

Not thinking of any other options, Bossk landed the ship. Nothing stopped them.

"Make sure your weapons are loaded," ordered Bane. "This could be a trap."

They grabbed their blasters and loaded them, and then Bane pushed the button that extended the loading ramp. All four cautiously descended the ramp, looking in all directions and holding their blasters ready. They half-expected some clones or a Jedi to leap out of hiding and attack them. But nothing did.

Something was definitely wrong!

* * *

><p>A T-6 shuttle came out of hyperspace over Brentaal IV. With its central cockpit, three engines and single rotating semi-circular wing, this type of shuttle was commonly used by Jedi knights.<p>

The shuttle was occupied by two such persons. One was the red-skinned togruta Shaak Ti, who wore a brown robe. The other was Oppo Rancisis, the serpent-like Thisspiassian. They, too, were on a mission to Brentaal IV's Republic outpost. Only theirs was a rescue mission.

Less than a standard month prior, the outpost stopped reporting to the Jedi Temple, and none of the staff could be contacted. Fearing a Separatist trap, the Jedi Council sent Shaak and Oppo to inspect the base, accompanied by several clone troopers.

The clone pilot attempted to contact the base. "Republic outpost, Jedi Generals Ti and Rancisis are here for an inspection. Do you copy?" But the only reply that came was a wave of static. "We still can't get a hold of them, sirs."

The Jedi appeared to be slightly concerned, though on the inside, they were probably as nervous as the clones were. Finally, Oppo spoke up. "Proceed with the landing cycle. We must face whatever is down there."

"Yes, sir," replied the pilot. He pushed on the throttle and the shuttle began to descend into the planet's atmosphere. When they emerged from the clouds, they saw the vast ocean below them. And in the middle of it was the island on which sat the outpost.

As they drew nearer, the Jedi could see no sign of any battle droids – or clone troopers. But there was a cargo ship on the landing platform. There was no definite explanation, though Shaak ventured a guess.

"Perhaps they were delivering supplies when something happened to prevent them from leaving."

Oppo stroked his long, white beard. "Or perhaps they just arrived and are still there."

The clone pilot checked his instruments. "The scanners are picking up life-form readings. There's something alive down there."

"Something friendly, I hope," commented the copilot.

The ship continued its descent.

* * *

><p>The band of mercenaries walked through the main building cautiously. When they had come inside, they had only found more clone bodies and wreckage. On inspection, the clones' armor had no scorch marks or blaster burns, but was cracked and broken in several places.<p>

Dengar tried to start the computers in the command station, hoping to find some clue as to what had happened. There was another body slumped over the keyboard. To his surprise, it was not the body of a clone, but that of a purple-skinned alien woman dressed in a white lab coat. He pushed the body onto the floor and began to type.

The computers slowly flickered to life. His delight was short-lived, as the computers then died after a few seconds. He truthfully hadn't expected the computers to work, for some had cracked or broken monitors or they had been crushed altogether. But he was still frustrated.

I response to Dengar's growl, Cad Bane spoke. "I don't think there's anything left for us here. I don't think the Separatists did this, but whatever happened, it destroyed the entire base."

Bossk hissed. "So you think we should go back to Korriban and say something already destroyed the base?"

"Of course not!" exclaimed Aurra Sing. "If we don't do our job, he'll kill us. You saw what happened to that Death Watch group. I say, we make it _look_ like we did it, bring back proof of the base's destruction, and not tell anyone what really happened."

"But he's a Sith Lord! He'll see right through us!"

Bane spoke up. "I agree with Aurra. We have a better chance of survival if we lie. Start shooting around the place and grab a couple of bodies!"

* * *

><p>When the Jedi landed, they inspected the cargo ship that was already landed there. "It appears fresh," observed Shaak Ti. "Someone was here recently."<p>

"And they sure left a mess!" exclaimed one of the clone troopers, stepping over a body. "Look at the state of this place! The base was definitely attacked."

"Patience, Commander Nit," said Oppo Rancisis. "There are no blast marks or destroyed battle droids, so this may not have been a Separatist attack."

"Then who did this?"

The Jedi looked at each other, hoping they would have possible answers. But they had none.

Suddenly, several small explosions resonated from inside the main building. It sounded like blasterfire! The Jedi and clones ran to the doors and readied their weapons. Shaak drew her lightsaber, and, to her surprise, Oppo did as well. Oppo had a lightsaber, but he rarely ever used it, usually calling on the Force for combat.

Oppo held up three fingers, then two, and then one. Once no fingers were held up, the group stormed into the base. The clones immediately began firing at the bounty hunters, who responded with return fire. The Jedi used their lightsabers to deflect the bolts back at the hunters, though they had taken cover behind the computer consoles, popping up only to fire shots from their blasters.

The bounty hunters were skilled and swift, and didn't receive any damage. The clones, however, had barely any cover, and slowly fell one by one. But most of them were saved by the two Jedi. "So," yelled Commander Nit, "I suppose _you're_ the ones behind this!"

Cad Bane yelled back, "We did no such thing! We found the base like this when we arrived. We don't know what happened."

The fight continued, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Suddenly, a piercing roar made everyone's blood freeze. Then everything went silent. A couple seconds later, there was a screeching sound, almost like metal against metal. Fearing that their ships were in danger, everyone stopped fighting and ran out of the building.

They were horrified by what they saw; the two ships were being torn apart by two Zillo beasts!

* * *

><p>Each Zillo beast was approximately 90 to 100 meters tall and completely covered by thick, brown scales that were immune to all weapons, including lightsabers. They also had three long, snakelike arms (one was situated above the spike-tipped tail), two legs, three-fingered hands and feet, and a large, round head with green eyes and a powerful jaw.<p>

The Jedi, clones, and bounty hunters all stood and stared for a while at the magnificence of the creatures. Then the two Zillo beasts noticed the newcomers and growled with pleasure at the thought of having fresh meat for the first time in so long. Realizing the danger, the clones and bounty hunters opened fire.

The blaster bolts disappeared into sparks as they hit the beasts' scales without leaving a dent. "Don't shoot," exclaimed Oppo Rancisis, "Or they'll panic!"

"_They'll_ panic?" repeated Commander Nit. "_I'm_ about to panic!"

The group continued to fire until one of the beasts reared up and let out a roar that shook the entire base. That roar was answered by a series of other roars throughout the island. Everyone watched in horror as even more Zillo beasts popped up all over the island as far as the eye could see. Then all of the beasts looked in their direction.

"It's a rallying cry," realized Shaak Ti. "They're calling for help!"

Cad Bane pulled out a thermal detonator. "Well, _this_ is our rallying cry." He released the trigger and threw the bomb at the two beasts attacking the ships. When it was practically right on top of them, it exploded with a giant ball of fire. When the blinding light subsided, everyone uncovered their eyes, only to see two Zillo beast heads emerge through the smoke.

"What the…?" gasped Dengar.

"They are immune to our weapons," explained Oppo. "They cannot be destroyed!"

"We'll see about that!" growled Aurra as she pulled out another detonator. Before anyone could stop her, she threw it at the two beasts. Instead of exploding into a fireball, like the last one did, this bomb burst a cloud of toxic gas. The Zillo beasts inhaled it and almost immediately began coughing. After a while, they groaned and fell to the ground.

"Are they dead?" asked Nit.

"No," replied Aurra, "they're just unconscious. I suggest we get out of here before the others get here." They all ran back into the main building to figure out what to do next.

* * *

><p>The Jedi, clones, and bounty hunters stood panting after their encounter with the creatures. Finally, Bossk spoke up. "What were those things?"<p>

"They are Zillo beasts," explained Shaak Ti. "They are supposed to be extinct. But somehow, they have come to live on this island."

Originally from the planet Malastare, the Zillo beasts were killed by the dugs and believed to be extinct. But, halfway through the Clone Wars, a Republic bomb woke a beast that had been hibernating underground for hundreds of years.

The Jedi were able to subdue it with pulse lasers, and brought it back to Coruscant, where Chancellor Palpatine had ordered it to be studied. However, the beast escaped, and wreaked havoc on Coruscant. Choosing to save the lives of the Coruscanti, the Jedi were forced to kill it with toxic gas.

But, unbeknownst to them, Palpatine secretly ordered a Republic scientist to take the beast's body to a nearby outpost and clone it. Several clones of the beast were made and used for further study. The scientists also programmed genetic variations, including gender.

Unfortunately, the beasts began to breed too quickly, and they broke loose and killed the base's staff. That was the reason why the Jedi hadn't heard from them for so long.

"Well, they've destroyed our ships," said Aurra, "so we're all stuck here."

"Not necessarily," said Oppo. "Every Republic outpost is supposed to be equipped with an underground hanger for emergency escape ships."

"Where is it?" asked Nit.

"At the other end of the complex."

Bane laughed. "You expect to march right past those things? You Jedi are suicidal!"

Nit stepped forward threateningly. "Well, you're going to have to find your own way off this island. Because we aren't helping you!"

Shaak sighed. "I'm afraid, Commander, that as long as we are on this island together, we are all in the same boat. We will have to work together."

At this statement, many of the clones groaned in protest, and Bossk hissed, "I'm not helping you, Jedi filth!"

"I have to agree with the Jedi," said Bane. "If you want to get out of here alive, we'll need their help."

"I'll do it," said Dengar.

"I don't like it, but I'm in," agreed Aurra.

"Then we're all agreed?" asked Oppo. "Good. Now, we need to figure out how to get past the Zillo beasts. Any ideas?"

"I say we arm all of our detonators with toxic gas," said Bossk. "When they're all unconscious, they can't hurt us!"

"I don't think we have enough detonators _or_ gas," retorted Nit.

"Maybe we can outrun them on speeders?" suggested another clone.

"Those beasts are smarter than they appear," said Bane. "They'll probably catch us in a net."

"Wait!" exclaimed another clone. "I remember when the beast attacked Coruscant. We were able to stop it with a stun laser! Maybe there are some tanks hidden around here that we could use?"

"Good idea," commented Shaak. "There may be extra tanks in the armory."

"Lead the way," said Dengar.

So the unlikely alliance left the building together.

* * *

><p>After the Republic's SPHA tanks were successful in the Battle of Geonosis, a smaller variation was developed. The RX-200 assault tank measured about 28.63 meters long and had three prongs extending from the front of the vehicle, with the center one being thinner yet longer than the others.<p>

On top of the vehicle was a dome-shaped energy housing with a long, elevating, disk-tipped cannon arm sticking out. This single weapon was a stun laser, which fired a continuous stream of pulse energy. During the Battle of Malastare, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker suggested using the tanks to short-circuit the Zillo beast's immune system, putting it into a deep sleep.

The Jedi, clones, and bounty hunters were relieved to find seven tanks in the armory; enough to carry everyone. "Each tank carries two people," said Oppo, slithering to the controls to open the hanger door. "We need to try to sneak past the beasts, but we also need to have our stun weapons ready just in case."

Aurra climbed on top of one tank and opened the hatch. "This shouldn't be too tough. I think I can get used to these controls quickly." She hopped into the driver's seat and Dengar seat in the gunner's seat.

Nit laughed. "We'll see who can master them the fastest!" He climbed into a tank with Oppo sitting next to him. Shaak Ti piloted the tank in front, with a clone trooper serving as gunner. Bane and Bossk got into their own tank, and the rest of the clones divided into the remaining three.

When Aurra studied the controls to her tank, she wasn't sure she would figure them out quickly after all. There were several buttons and switches on the dashboard, next to two levers that stood side by side. She started by pushing or throwing random buttons and switches to try to activate the tank.

Finally, the tank shuddered to life and began to rise off the ground. Next Aurra pushed the right lever. The tank turned sharply to the left. She quickly pushed the left lever to straighten out, but the tank instead lurched forward and hit Nit's tank.

"What the…? Hey!" Nit rammed Aurra's tank in revenge, and pretty soon they were in a fight.

"Stop this madness!" ordered Oppo.

Nit and Aurra hesitantly stopped hitting each other and turned to face forward.

"Everyone ready?" asked Shaak via intercom. "Let's go." All of the tanks began to move forward. When they were out in the open, they expected to see at least one Zillo beast waiting for them. Though, thankfully, there were none.

"We should probably travel along the edge of the island. Go around the beasts," suggested Bane.

The clone sitting next to Shaak scoffed. "That would take way too long! I think we should go down the middle and hit those things head-on!"

"That is not a good idea," replied Shaak. "The bounty hunter is right."

Bane chuckled with pleasure.

Shaak drove her tank towards the beach and the others followed.

* * *

><p>For several minutes, the procession of RX-200 tanks glided over the sand-covered beach. They were quickly putting much distance between them and the main building. And they were drawing closer to their destination. What's more, they didn't encounter any Zillo beasts. Everyone was glad about that. But Oppo Rancisis had doubts.<p>

"I wonder where all of the beasts went?" he asked. "I had thought at least some would follow us."

Bossk flicked his tongue. "As long as I don't have to deal with them, I'm as happy as possible."

"Then shut up before they hear you!" snapped Cad Bane.

"Shhh!" said Aurra Sing.

"Yeah, be quiet," agreed Commander Nit. "It's bad enough we're working with you people. At least…"

Aurra shushed again.

"I'm just sayin'…"

"Everybody, quiet!" interrupted the bounty hunter. "Listen."

It was hard to hear over the whine of the tanks' engines, but everyone could definitely hear a gradually loudening thudding sound.

"I don't like the sound of that," said a clone trooper.

An instant later, that clone's tank jumped up into the air and landed upside-down on the surface of the ocean. Then the cabin filled with water as the tank began to sink. The poor clones who occupied the vehicle screamed until they were completely submerged. They tried to hold their breath, but when they couldn't hold it any longer, they exhaled and breathed in water.

Shaak Ti and Oppo felt through the Force the drowning of the clones. But they didn't have time to mourn the loss. They had to concentrate on fighting the Zillo beast that had knocked the tank to its doom.

"Ready the pulse weapons!" ordered Oppo.

All of the gunners in the remaining six tanks began pushing buttons to activate the single weapons.

"Aim!"

The drivers all turned the tanks around and the gunners adjusted two levers similar to the drivers' to raise the cannons and point them at the beast.

"Fire!" As soon as he said this, Oppo held down the button that fired the cannon. The others followed suit. In a few seconds, each tank had a beam of continuous blue energy attempting to penetrate the beast's hide.

The beast groaned as it was hit with the pulse energy. It began to sway as it attempted to swipe at the tanks. When it realized it was beginning to go down, it let out a loud roar. "It's calling for help!" exclaimed Dengar. "Let's get out of here!"

"What?" laughed Shaak's clone gunner. "You want to run away? We clones stand up and fight!"

Shaak Ti shook her head. "The bounty hunter is right. We cannot hold up against these beasts for long. Everyone, continue to the bunker!" She turned her tank back to the main road and the other tanks followed.

The slowly tiring Zillo beast noticed that its prey was escaping, and with one final swing, crushed the tank Nit and Oppo were in.

"Stop!" ordered Shaak. "We have to go back."

"Make up your mind already," said Bane.

"We have to make sure they're alive."

"Just leave them!" replied Bossk. "I don't want to be lagging behind."

But Shaak had already turned her tank around and was driving up to the wreckage. She hopped out of the top hatch and used the Force to move the beast's hand. Then she pulled the hatch off of the smashed tank and dragged two bodies out and laid them on the ground. Neither Nit nor Oppo were conscious, and both were heavily bruised and beaten.

She checked for vital signs on both. She announced to the others, "Nit is dead. Master Rancisis is alive, but requires medical attention." She dragged Oppo back to her tank and tucked him into the cargo space. Then they started off again.

* * *

><p>When the other Zillo beasts arrived and found their comrade unconscious, they began to roar in frustration. To the human ear, it sounded like an orchestra of roars of different pitches and lengths. But the Zillo beasts were actually discussing their course of action against these intruders.<p>

Then one of the beasts sniffed the air and growled. In response, the other beasts did the same. They all began to growl again. There was no mistaking the smell of oil. The first beast followed the scent, and the others followed.

* * *

><p>Incredibly, the Jedi and bounty hunters didn't encounter any more beasts on their way to the bunker. One of the clone trooper gunners got out of his RX-200 tank and opened the garage door, allowing the tanks to enter and glide down the sloping ramp into the underground hanger.<p>

Once they were all inside, they powered off the tanks and got out. "Well," sighed Aurra, "I guess we made it. And now we can get off this rock." The hanger, they saw, was filled with more RX-200 tanks, capsules filled with toxic gas, and several escape pod launchers.

But there was only one with a pod still on it! "Where are all of the escape pods?" asked Cad Bane. "I would think you Jedi would have more of them."

Shaak Ti frowned. "The base's staff must have tried to use them to escape when the beasts attacked."

"The pods can only hold four people each," pointed out a clone trooper.

"Then I guess only four will be getting off of this rock," said Dengar slyly. He nodded to the other bounty hunters and they each punched a clone or Jedi, knocking them over. Then they ran as fast as they could for the escape pod.

"Hey!" yelled another clone trooper. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Sorry to leave you like this," said Bane. "But it doesn't seem fair that the people fighting this war should live, while those not fighting die. You should understand that." He tipped his wide-brimmed hat, smiled deviously, and climbed into the pod, closing the hatch behind him.

"Traitors!" screamed the first clone.

But nothing anyone could say would change anything. The ceiling above the pod opened, and the only hope of escape was blasted into space, leaving the Jedi and clones to the angry Zillo beasts.

* * *

><p>Shaak Ti laid Oppo Rancisis' unconscious form on the ground and used the Force to supply him with enough energy to keep him alive. The five remaining clone troopers began pacing, trying to figure out another escaped method.<p>

"I told you we couldn't trust them!" said one clone.

"They said we deserve to die!" exclaimed another.

"_They_ should be the ones to die for betraying us like that!" yelled a third.

The fourth clone interrupted. "Well, like I said, we clones stand up and fight, not run away. I say we try to fight those beasts!"

"Talk about easier said than done," replied the first clone. "There are only six of us. How can we survive against, like, twenty of those?"

The fifth clone finally spoke up after a long thought. "What if we fixed the communications in this hanger and called a nearby cruiser to pick us up?"

"We'd still have to hold off the beasts," pointed out the fourth clone. "We can use these tanks and gas capsules to fight them."

Shaak Ti commented, "You clones have excellent ideas. We will call for help, and hold off the beasts for as long as we can."

* * *

><p>The Jedi and five clones immediately got to work. Two clones found a tool kit and began to fix the base's communication systems. The others positioned twelve RX-200 tanks outside of the bunker so that their stun cannons pointed away. They also hooked them up to a remote control so that they could be controlled from inside the bunker.<p>

Shaak Ti set all of the gas capsules in a pile at the entrance to the bunker so she could throw them at the Zillo beasts if the need arose. It seemed they were as prepared as possible.

One of the clones picked up the remote that would hopefully control the tanks. "Oh, I can't wait to try this!" He flipped a switch and all of the tanks hummed to life at the same time. "Ooh!" He moved a small joystick around in its socket and the tanks moved and turned with it. "Ha-ha!" Finally, he flipped a switch and moved a lever up and down. The stun cannons activated and moved up and down also.

Another clone chuckled. "I bet we could make a fortune off of this idea!"

"The other boys would probably be so jealous of us, though."

Inside the hanger's control center, one of the clones was lying on his back underneath the console, attempting to connect the correct wires. "Ugh, why are there so many wires we don't need?"

His companion shrugged. "Procedure, I guess. Why is it the same for everything else?"

The first clone shrugged. "It just seems like a waste of time, if you ask me." He was about to give up when he finally connected the right wires. "It worked!"

The other clone began punching in a frequency on the panel. "Is there anyone out there? This is a priority one signal from Jedi Master Shaak Ti on Brentaal IV. We require immediate assistance."

* * *

><p>Somewhere in space, en route to the planet Korriban, a fleet of Jedi cruisers, led by Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, were preparing to assault a Separatist base. On the bridge of the flagship, Ahsoka was overseeing the flight crew when a controller announced, "Sir, we're picking up a transmission from our Republic outpost on Brentaal IV."<p>

Ahsoka went to the controller's station and ordered, "Send it through."

The clone pushed a few buttons and a clone's voice spoke over a wave of static. "Is – anyone out there? This is – ority one signal from Jed – aster Shaak Ti – Brentaal IV. We re – ire immediate as – tance."

Ahsoka thought for a second. "Captain, set your course for Brentaal IV."

"Yes, sir," replied the captain. Then he announced to the rest of the crew, "You heard the commander! We've got a Jedi to save!"

* * *

><p>Back on Brentaal IV, Shaak Ti and the clones were set for the upcoming fight. All they could do now was to wait for the Zillo beasts – and the Republic, if they were coming.<p>

One of the clones was scanning the landscape with a pair of macrobinoculars. "There they are," he finally said. "Brought the whole family for a little bonding hunt, looks like."

He dropped the binoculars when a second clone hit him on the shoulder. "That's very funny, rookie. You know what's even funnier? We're the prey."

"Just trying to ease the tension!"

At that moment, Shaak came. "Keep your joke close to your heart, trooper. That may have been your last."

The remaining clones joined them. "This is it," breathed one of the newcomers.

"Hold your ground, men," ordered Shaak. "Be brave. Show no fear. Pray help will come. We fight for the Republic, no matter how impossible the odds, no matter how great the enemy. Do this and we _will_ succeed."

The clones all nodded in acknowledgement. Their morale had been boosted just in time. "They're here!" exclaimed the second clone.

They were impossible to miss; nearly a dozen monstrous Zillo beasts, their green eyes burning with rage, their roars deafening, all hungry for revenge. The lead beast let out a roar, to which the others responded with similar roars.

"Seriously?" asked the first clone. "They have a war cry? Oh this just gets better all the time."

The fourth clone was holding the remote. "Should I activate the tanks, sir?"

"On my signal," replied Shaak. She held up her right hand to restrain the clones. Then, when the beasts were close enough, she brought it down. "Activate them now!"

The clone pushed the button to turn on the pulse lasers. Twelve beams of blue energy suddenly erupted from each RX-200 tank. The clone used the remote to point the beams at the approaching beasts. One could call it a laser light show.

As the lasers pummeled their hides, the beasts began to groan. One of them tripped, and all of the beasts behind it toppled one over the other. The remaining beasts continued to charge.

"This is going too slow!" exclaimed the third clone. "What else do we have?"

"Time to launch capsule one!" laughed the first clone.

Shaak opened one of the toxic gas containers and used the Force to throw it at the beasts. Upon impact, the capsule broke apart and released a cloud of green smoke. The beast it hit fell and began to cough. But about ten seconds later, it growled and continued towards them.

"Give 'em another!" said the clone, sounding less pleased.

Shaak threw another capsule. Combined with the first bomb, three beasts were completely engulfed in an even larger cloud. This time, the first beast was panting heavily and did not get back up.

"Whoo!" cheered the fifth clone. "That did it!" Unfortunately, the remaining beasts were even angrier than before. One of them picked up a tank and began tearing it in half! "Uh, on second thoughts, just keep on them, buddy,"

The third clone looked up. "What do think I'm _trying_ to do?" He continued to fiddle with the remote. One beast had finally sustained enough damage and fell on top of a smaller one. The former had fallen unconscious, and the latter was struggling to break free. "Well, there's two more."

Now there was a larger beast fighting its way through the laser field towards the tanks. Shaak threw another capsule, but it hit the beast too late. It teetered for a few seconds, and began to lean towards the clones!

"Move!" yelled the fifth clone. All six darted away into the bunker, but only five made it. The third clone, with the remote, tripped and screamed as the beast landed on top of him and three of the tanks. The fifth clone winced under his helmet. "That's not good."

"You think?" asked the first clone. "They've smashed the remote! Now we'll never get out of here alive!"

"Wanna bet?" asked the fourth. "Because you'd lose that bet!" He pointed up at the sky, at a _Venator-_class star destroyer and three Republic LAAT/I gunships!

Shaak sighed in relief. "Help has arrived."

Two of the gunships circled the remaining Zillo beasts, drawing their attention away from the survivors, while the third gunship landed outside the bunker. The side doors opened and Captain Rex motioned with his hand. "Inside, quickly!"

The four clones boarded the gunship eagerly, but Shaak Ti went back in to get Oppo Rancisis' unconscious form. She dragged him onto the gunship and the doors closed. The ship lifted off and flew back to the cruiser, the other two in tow.

Once the ships landed on the cruiser, Rex activated his comlink. "All right, sir. We're ready to go."

On the bridge, Ahsoka Tano relayed the message to the pilots. Soon, they were out of the atmosphere and into hyperspace.

* * *

><p>Oppo Rancsis was taken to the Jedi cruiser's medical center. After several hours of diagnostics, the medical droids finally reported that he would live, although he would have to be taken to a medical station for full recovery.<p>

While the fleet flew to the nearest medical station, Ahsoka went up to Shaak Ti's quarters. When she opened the door, she saw the Jedi master sitting cross-legged on the floor in the center of the room, meditating.

Shaak opened her eyes. "Padawan Ahsoka, what may I do for you?"

Ahsoka sat down facing Shaak. "I was hoping you could explain what happened on that planet."

"Very well. Master Rancisis and I were sent to investigate the loss of contact with our base there. When we arrived, all of the base's personnel were dead. Then we encountered the bounty hunters…"

"Bounty hunters?" repeated Ahsoka, suddenly alert. "What bounty hunters?"

"They refused to say why they were there, but there were four of them, all on the same ship. There was a Cad Bane, Aurra Sing, and two mercenaries called Dengar and Bossk."

"I know them," said Ahsoka. "What happened to them?"

"We reluctantly formed an alliance to escape the planet and fight the Zillo beasts. But they betrayed us, and took the last escape pod, leaving us stranded."

Ahsoka scoffed. "Of course they did. They never change. There's something peculiar going on here. I bet they have something to do with Boba Fett."

"Boba Fett?" repeated Shaak. "The son of Jango Fett? You have him in custody?"

"Yes. We learned he was running an errand for Count Dooku, and we intercepted him. He confirmed that several other bounty hunters were also hired to perform similar errands. With his help, we also have AO-327. We also learned of a Separatist plot by Viceroy Gunray to build missile launchers in the Valley of the Sith Lords on Korriban. That's where we're headed now."

"A very interesting tale, Ahsoka," replied Shaak, nodding her head. "I hope Boba hasn't been too much trouble."

"No!" exclaimed Ahsoka. "In fact, he's quite the opposite! He's the reason we succeeded on Cato Neimoidia. He's being very kind to me."

In response to this last statement, Shaak raised an eyebrow in interest.

Ahsoka continued, "The real problem is this clone called 'Spider.' I've never met him before; he was transferred to my fleet just before we captured Boba. He keeps arguing with him for no reason."

Shaak thought long and hard. "I would certainly like to meet him."

"Sure." Then Ahsoka added half embarrassed, "I, uh, I'm letting him sleep in my quarters to thank him."

* * *

><p>The four bounty hunters in their single escape pod had a long discussion about what they would say to Darth Sidious. "He's not going to be happy when he hears that we failed," pointed out Dengar.<p>

"Like I said," emphasized Aurra Sing. "We should tell him we destroyed the base."

Bossk hissed. "And _I_ still say he'll see right through us!"

"Do you have a better idea?" asked Cad Bane.

"You know what's usually a good alternative? Run away and forget the job!"

"I thought you weren't a coward, Bossk," said Aurra.

"There's a difference between being a coward and being smart."

"Fine!" exclaimed Dengar, ending the argument. "We'll stop at the nearest planet on the way to Korriban, and anyone who's ready to jump ship can get off there, while the rest of us go back."

"It'd better be civilized!" snapped Bossk.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano and Shaak Ti walked to Boba's room together. Ahsoka knew that Shaak suspected something, and she wasn't sure she could explain her problem to a fellow Jedi. But, then again, maybe a Jedi master would know how to deal with these things.<p>

Ahsoka's thoughts ended when they reached the room. She took a deep breath and knocked. "Boba, can I come in?"

"Sure," replied a voice. Ahsoka pushed the button that opened the hatch and walked inside. Boba was sitting on the bed. He looked up and smiled at Ahsoka. Then his smile faded as a second person followed. "Ahsoka, who's this?"

"This is Jedi Master Shaak Ti," introduced Ahsoka. "We just rescued her from a little skirmish at a nearby Republic outpost… involving four bounty hunters."

Boba gasped. He had completely forgotten about the others. He was so busy thinking about Ahsoka….

"Do you know anything of these bounty hunters?" asked Shaak.

"Yes," replied Boba. "Our boss sent a few bounty hunters to sabotage some Republic outposts. I don't know why."

"Are they planning to attack other outposts?"

"I think so. Again, I'm not sure why."

Ahsoka nodded. "Thank you, Boba. We'll have to warn our other bases. We don't want any more accidents like the one on Brentaal IV."

As the two Jedi turned to leave, Boba spat out, "Ahsoka! You're welcome."

Was it a trick of his imagination, or was Ahsoka blushing? Whatever it was, it was over now. Ahsoka left the room, followed by Shaak. He was now alone, and his head was spinning.

Why in the universe did he say _that_? "You're welcome"? What kind of an idiot was he? He knew he wasn't supposed to like Ahsoka. But he didn't necessarily _like_ her, but then did he…dare he think it…

…love her?

And did she love him? Boba couldn't tell. But he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way of the mission. He had to get that holodisk back!

But what would he do after he did? Would he just leave her? Boba had a lot to think about before this next mission. Like if he would survive it.

* * *

><p>The bounty hunters' escape pod crash-landed near the Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine, where Bossk and Dengar decided to stay. While Cad Bane and Aurra Sing stole a cargo ship to take them to Korriban, the other two decided to go to Jabba the Hutt's palace to work for him. As they were looking for a transport to take them across the Dune Sea, they were surprised when they encountered Greedo, the Rodian bounty hunter who had also been hired by Darth Sidious.<p>

"Greedo," asked Dengar, "What are you doing out here?"

Greedo replied in his high, nasally voice, "That Fett kid sent me to get some power converters while he refueled his ship, and left me here! What are you doing here?"

Dengar and Bossk then explained to Greedo all that had happened on Brentaal IV. Afterwards, Bossk said, "We're going to visit Jabba the Hutt. Maybe he'll have some good jobs for us."

"I'll go with you," replied Greedo. The three began to walk down the busy Mos Eisley street. Then Greedo asked, "So, what was it like working with the Jedi?"

Bossk hissed. "They don't share our views, and the clones were arguing with us. I'm surprised we didn't kill each other."

"Well, why didn't you?"

Dengar answered, "Because we were all in the same boat. They say the most important rule of bounty hunting is to survive. I guess sometimes we have to rely on our enemies to help us."


	11. Korriban Missile Crisis

Korriban Missile Crisis (Ep. #11, Prod. #11)

* * *

><p>Imminent Death! Separatist leader Nute Gunray is funding the construction of nuclear missile launchers on the planet Korriban, intended to intimidate star systems into joining the Separatist cause. To end this crisis, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, aided by Jedi Master Shaak Ti and bounty hunter Boba Fett, has been sent to destroy these missiles before they are launched.<p>

However, Boba has refrained from telling that the mission will lead the Jedi into the lair of the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. If Sidious discovers Boba's treachery, he will most certainly kill him. The only way for Boba to live is to betray Ahsoka, the only love in his life…

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano looked out the viewport of her <em>Venator-<em>class star destroyer to see Korriban, the ancient Sith world and her destination. During the voyage, she had pulled up information about the planet, and did not like it one bit.

Jedi Master Shaak Ti walked up next to her. "There are rumors that the spirits of the ancient Sith Lords haunt their tombs, in the Valley of the Sith Lords," she explained. "That must be why Viceroy Gunray chose this particular place for his missile launchers. Battle droid crews are not afraid of said spirits, unlike others."

Ahsoka nodded. "No one is very keen about this mission. Boba tried to convince me earlier not to come here. And the clone Spider has been even grouchier than usual."

"He is definitely an odd one."

"But we have to do this," said Ahsoka with determination. "Gunray will use these missiles to scare the galaxy into doing whatever that worm wants."

"Including joining the Separatists," added Shaak.

At that moment, clone Captain Rex approached them. "Orders, sir?"

"Rex," addressed Ahsoka, "Gather up your remaining star troopers, and any other clones who are brave enough for this mission. Also, prep the tanks and dropships. We'll need them."

"What about Spider?"

"Bring him, too. I think he needs a bit of discipline."

"I agree, sir. I'm on my way." With that, Rex saluted and left the bridge."

"I must say," commented Shaak, "I've always admired Captain Rex."

"He's the most loyal clone in the legion," said Ahsoka. "After the war ends, though, I don't know what will happen to him."

* * *

><p>Boba Fett sat on the bed in the quarters given to him by Ahsoka. He was deep in thought again, and he couldn't find a loophole in his dilemma anywhere. He wasn't concerned about whether the mission will succeed, or even the dead Sith Lords. It was the <em>living<em> one he was afraid of.

Darth Sidious had hired Boba to deliver a holodisk containing important blueprints. But when he was captured by Ahsoka, she took the disk. He's been working for the Republic to gain her trust so she would return the disk, and it was working so far. Without him, the Jedi wouldn't have learned about the missiles until it was too late.

But that was more of a problem. Sidious' lair was inside the tomb of Darth Bane, and the Jedi would find the tomb and the Sith Lord on the way to the Separatist base. Sidious would kill Boba if he found out that he was the one who led them there. Boba's only other option was to betray Ahsoka by taking the disk by force and leaving before they found the tomb.

He didn't want to betray Ahsoka. She cared about him, and now he admitted to himself that he loved her. This treachery would break both of their hearts. Boba knew that either way, the mission would end in tragedy.

Who should interrupt his thoughts but Ahsoka herself? The hatch opened and Ahsoka walked in. "We're almost ready to go, Boba."

"Ahsoka, I still think you should reconsider going on the mission."

Ahsoka shook her head. "I'm afraid that the risk is too great. We have to destroy these missiles before they're launched."

Boba sighed in defeat. "All right. Let's get this over with." He went over to the nearby table and picked up his helmet. Ahsoka was kind enough to allow him to wear his green Mandalorian armor for the mission.

As Ahsoka left, Boba stared into the "eyes" of the helmet. He remembered when his father, Jango Fett, had worn this armor. Sometimes, Boba would ask Jango for help while looking at the helmet. "Father, I feel lost. I know I have to complete the mission, but I can't betray Ahsoka either. I… I love her."

To Boba's shock, Jango's voice answered, "You shouldn't fraternize with the enemy, Boba."

Boba screamed and dropped the helmet in terror. He watched it roll across the room and land at the feet of a clone, who said, "The mission is your number one priority."

"Don't do that!" roared Boba angrily.

Clone Sergeant Slick picked up the helmet and tossed it to Boba. "Ah, yes. Our template was your father. And – oh, that's right – it's the Jedi's fault he's dead!"

"What do you care?" asked Boba. "You're a traitor, too! And I don't pester you about it!"

"_My_ mission isn't the one that's in jeopardy. What's the boss going to think when he finds out you were captured, lost the holodisk, fell in love with the enemy, and led them to his lair?"

"He doesn't have to know. I'll divert the troops away from the tomb. No one will suspect a thing. Then, after we destroy the missiles, Ahsoka will trust me enough to give back the disk, then we and AO-327 can escape on _Slave I._"

Slick shook his head. "I'm done with hearing your pathetic excuses, kid. If you don't do what you promised, I'll kill you on the spot!"

"You'd better not!" snapped a new voice. The bounty hunters turned around to see Captain Rex approaching. "The commander thinks you could use a little discipline, Spider. So you have been specially chosen to take the lead on this mission."

Slick snarled. "So I can die first! Is that how the Jedi treat us clones? Like slaves?"

Rex froze in response to the word "slave." He had only ever heard one other person use that word while talking about the clones. "You remind me of another clone, Spider. Things didn't turn out well for him in the end. I hope you don't meet the same fate." With that, he turned and walked away.

* * *

><p>The Jedi cruiser was live with activity. Clone troopers and other personnel were rushing this way and that, preparing for the upcoming mission. No one, in their haste, noticed one clone slip into a supply closet on the way to the dorsal hanger.<p>

As soon as Slick knew he was alone, he pulled out a holoprojector and typed in a secret frequency. A hologram of the cloaked Darth Sidious sprang up. "Sergeant Slick, I trust you have news?"

"Unfortunately, it isn't good news, and I don't have a lot of time. Those Jedi are on my trail."

Under his hood, Sidious frowned. "You have encountered complications?"

"Yes. Viceroy Gunray is building missile launchers in the Valley of the Sith Lords, and the Jedi are on their way there now!"

"How did they learn this? I thought AO-327 was supposed to protect the Viceroy!"

"He was, until the Jedi captured him!"

Sidious shook his head. "Most unfortunate."

"Also, they had help… from Boba Fett!"

Slick hadn't seen Sidious angry yet, but he suddenly wished he hadn't. "Fett! He betrayed me?"

"The Jedi captured him and took the holodisk. And now he's working for her! He claims he's just gaining her trust so she can give back the disk, but I think he has actual _feelings_ for her."

Sidious bit his lip so hard that Slick could swear it was bleeding. "Very well. Perhaps the boy is more trouble than he's worth. You have a new mission; kill him, and his Jedi friend, as well. Free AO-327 and bring me the holodisk."

Slick was doubtful. "But how? I can't fight the entire Starfleet alone."

Sidious smiled maliciously. "Do not worry. I will send reinforcements."

"Thank you, my lord. But I advise you to evacuate."

"No. I will not leave this tomb. If the need arises, I shall deal with the Jedi…

"…personally."

* * *

><p>After his conversation with Darth Sidious, Slick went down to the brig. Thankfully, there was no one there except for the sole prisoner, AO-327. Slick approached his cell and turned off the ray shields covering the doorway.<p>

"All right, bounty hunter. The boss has ordered me to kill Boba and the Jedi. I will recover the holodisk, free you, and we both escape."

"He doesn't actually expect you to triumph over the Jedi alone, does he?" asked AO-327.

"He said he's sending reinforcements. Now I've been sent on this suicide mission on the planet, so I won't be able to free you." Slick tossed a small remote to AO-327. "I've rigged up this remote with the cell door. When the reinforcements come, you will be able to free yourself. Get to the ship, and go to the tomb."

"Just be careful, Slick. You have no idea what you're getting into."

"All you have to worry about is escaping."

AO-327 threw his hands in the air in surrender. "All right, I'll do it. But I have a bad feeling about this."

Slick shook his head and left the brig. He strode to the cruiser's dorsal hanger. There were several LAAT/i gunships and LAAT/c dropships ready to ferry troopers and tanks to the surface of Korriban. He looked around and found the gunship that was to carry him and Ahsoka Tano.

When he stepped onto the gunship, Ahsoka addressed him. "You're going to take the lead, Spider. Hopefully, you will learn some discipline. This mission is going to be ugly."

As the gunship took off, Slick's mouth twitched into a slight smile and he said, "Oh, it will. Very ugly."

* * *

><p>A <em>Sheathipede<em>-class shuttle descended into the dreaded Valley of the Sith Lords, burial site of over a dozen ancient Sith Lords. Banking Clan chairman San Hill looked out of the shuttle's viewport to see a bird's-eye view of the new Separatist base. There were B1 battle droids marching all over the base, performing their individual duties.

The base itself was situated on a flat, rocky surface, not too far from the sacred tombs. The base was protected by four high walls, and four watch towers in each corner. Inside, there were small buildings for storage, but the majority of the space was covered in scaffolding and machinery.

Suddenly, Hill nearly fell off of his seat as a chill ran up his spine. One of the battle droid guards noticed and asked, "Sir? Are you okay?"

The tall Muun panted and replied in his high-pitched voice, "Yes, I am fine. It must be the rumored ghosts that inhabit this valley."

"Should we turn around?" asked the pilot.

"No. Stay on course. We have an inspection to make."

The shuttle landed in the base and Hill emerged as the rear doors opened and the landing ramp extended. As he walked down the ramp, he was greeted by a tactical droid. The droid bowed. "We are honored by your presence, Chairman Hill."

"Thank you, K2-B4," replied Hill formally. "But I am here to ensure that my money was well spent. Viceroy Gunray borrows money often, and rarely repays me."

"I understand sir. However, I have calculated that these missiles will be as effective as we had hoped. Allow me to show you."

* * *

><p>K2-B4 led San Hill through the complex, pointing out everything of interest. When they arrived at one of the scaffoldings, Hill could now see more clearly the missile launcher being constructed inside. It was nearly two stories tall, and had an elevating launching tube to hold a missile.<p>

It took four battle droid workers to carry one of the missiles to the launcher. The main body of the missile was a cylinder, approximately 1.5 meters in diameter and over 2.25 meters long. The missile ended in a cone-shaped head with a single photoreceptor eye and tracking antenna. The rear of the missile extended outward into another cone that housed the engine. There were two wings on each side of the body that could fold outward for flying or inward for attack.

"As you can see," explained K2-B4, "The missiles contain a hyperdrive and nuclear explosives that I calculate will allow the projectile to fly through hyperspace, drop behind planetary defenses, and cause catastrophic damage within an approximately 11.38 kilometer radius."

Hill nodded. "Impressive, although I am not assured that these missiles will work."

"That is why we have decided to give a demonstration to test this missile. We will launch it at the planet Felucia, which is in a nearby star system friendly to the Republic."

Hill stroked his long chin in deep thought, weighing the advantages and risks of said test. "Very well, Commander. However, I expect positive results."

K2-B4 nodded. "Of course, sir. I calculate that you will not be disappointed."

Next, the droid led the Muun into a control building. There were several consoles and video screens on the walls that represented each missile launcher. "From this room," stated K2-B4, "We shall be able to control the missile during its flight." She turned to the battle droid controllers at one of the consoles and said, "Begin procedure."

The droids nodded. "Roger, roger." They began to type furiously on the keyboards and the launcher containing the missile was seen turning and elevating.

"We have the target programmed," announced the first droid. It typed some more and the camera switched to the photoreceptor, so they could see what the missile was seeing. "Remote connections have been established."

"All systems check out," said the second droid. "We are ready to launch when ready."

"Fire at will," ordered K2-B4.

One of the controllers pressed a button and the missile suddenly rocketed into the sky. The press of another button extended the flight wings, and the first controller used a joystick to steer the projectile. It continued to fly upward until it was engulfed by clouds. But as it came into space, the ground crew was in for a nasty surprise.

"What was that?" asked Hill worriedly.

One of the droid controllers pulled up the frame of the recorded flight video that showed the object. "Uh, it looks like a fleet of some kind of star cruiser. It doesn't have the design of a Separatist ship, but it bears an odd resemblance to those Republic…"

Hill interrupted the droid with an odd-sounding scream. "Oh, dear! The Jedi have come to destroy my investment! _Please_ tell me you have troops available for defense!"

K2-B4 nodded. "We have a detachment of battle droids and tanks to counter any resistance. Rest assured, Your Excellency, we will defend this base."

"Good," sighed Hill. "That will allow for time to escape before the Jedi come."

The second droid controller interrupted. "The missile is clear for the jump into hyperspace."

"Activate the hyperdrive," ordered K2-B4.

"Roger, roger." After more typing, everyone looked at the video screen to watch as the stars turned into long streaks of light, and then another dimension of space that glowed blue. The missile had entered hyperspace. There was no stopping it now.

* * *

><p>As the gunships descended into the atmosphere, Ahsoka Tano's wristcom began to beep. She pressed the button and answered, "This is Ahsoka."<p>

A clone engineer on the cruiser replied, "We just saw a missile fly past the cruisers, then jump into hyperspace."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. "Where is it headed?"

"Our scans show it was headed for Felucia."

Ahsoka shook her head. "They've already begun to launch the missiles. We're running out of time." Next to her, Boba Fett sighed sadly. "Is something wrong, Boba?"

Boba inhaled deeply and began, "Ahsoka, there's something I have to tell you. I…" Boba trailed off when he glimpsed Slick looking his way. "I, uh, I – I think we're walking into a trap."

Ahsoka seemed surprised. "A trap? What makes you think that?"

Boba thought quickly. "Maybe… Gunray warned the base we were coming. We should probably land farther away."

Ahsoka pondered these words. "I think that's a good idea." She typed a frequency into her wristcom and ordered, "All pilots, land as soon as you see the base. We're going to go the rest of the way on foot."

All of the pilots in the gunships and dropships affirmed their understanding, and a few minutes later, the passengers felt themselves drop. Finally, they had landed.

As clone troopers filed from the gunships into the preparing HAV-A6 Juggernaut tanks and AT-TE walkers, the commanders all gathered around a holographic map, displaying the layout of the planet.

Shaak Ti motioned to the icon that represented the Separatist base. "The base is located here, just outside of the valley." Then she pointed to a dot and said, "We are here, about five clicks south of the Valley. Unfortunately, the fastest way to get to the base would be to go straight through the valley."

Slick sighed. "Why can't we go around?"

"If we take the long way," explained Captain Rex, "they'll know we're here. So just suck it up, and march through bravely, just like a clone trooper should."

Ahsoka nodded her head. "All right. We march once the tanks are loaded."

As everyone walked away, Boba looked at a certain spot on the holomap. It was the tomb of Darth Bane, and Darth Sidious' lair. They would have to march past it to get to the base. He was reminded of the fact that the mission will end tragically.

That's when he made up his mind. He ran after Ahsoka and called out to her. When she turned around, Boba walked up to her and took off his helmet so she could see the emotion in his face. "Ahsoka, I've decided to tell you that… I love you."

Ahsoka's mouth hung open. She knew this was coming, but she wasn't prepared for this confession. "Wow. I – I don't know what to say."

"You've taught me so much about life, and I'm grateful."

"You've taught me so much, too. Except…" Ahsoka chose her words carefully. "We can't fall in love. It would destroy our lives."

"But our lives are about to be destroyed anyway," stated Boba. "There's a…"

Before Boba could explain further, Rex called out, "Commander! We're ready to go!"

Ahsoka replied, "I'll be right there!" Then she turned back to Boba and said, "Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay." Then she turned and left, still stunned by Boba's revelation.

Boba stood speechless. He had tried to tell her the truth, but now he knew there was no way he could convince her to change her mind.

And she had turned him down.

* * *

><p>Felucia was a planet covered in jungles of bizarre and exotic plants, animals, and fungis. The vibrant pinks, blues, yellows, and greens, coupled with the cries of the animals, made this planet beautiful and lively at the same time.<p>

Unfortunately, the planet had also become a strategic target for both the Republic and Separatists. Its coordinates at the crossroads of major hyperspace lanes and its vulnerability had brought consistant war to the planet, with no end in sight. For years, campaign after campaign was launched, with neither side gaining an advantage over the other.

The Commerce Guild, which had allied with the Separatists, had built a compound in the middle of the jungle. Now, a fierce firefight was taking place between the two sides to decide the outpost's fate. The Republic forces were forced to fall back to their base to regroup.

Suddenly, the clones heard a low rumbling sound come from the sky. They looked up to see an object shaped like a rocket grow larger. As it grew closer, they realized what it was. "It's a missile!" exclaimed the clone commander. "Set up the deflector shields. Quickly!"

But it was too late. The missile ploughed into the ground with a blinding flash of light that burned shadows into the walls. Then there was an explosion over ten kilometers wide. When the ball of fire floated into the air, the Republic base was gone.

* * *

><p>Several AT-TEs and HAV-A6 Juggernauts paraded across the Korriban desert with hundreds of clone troopers stored within their immense bodies. Inside the lead AT-TE, Jedi Master Shaak Ti and Padawan Ahsoka Tano oversaw the march. Ahsoka continuously spared glances at Boba Fett, who appeared devastated.<p>

Of course, he had a good reason. He had plucked up the courage to confess his love for another, and was rejected. Ahsoka felt sorry for him. It hurt even more that she loved him in return. That was what had been bothering them from the moment they looked each other in the eye.

Ahsoka would have been honored to be Boba's girlfriend. He was strong, tough, and brave on the outside, and kind and gentle on the inside. But the Jedi Code forbade attachments. Master Yoda always said, "Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is. The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side…."

Ahsoka suddenly felt cold and sad. She doubled over and let out a silent scream. Something was pounding on her head, and there were harsh voices in her ears. She was suffering, dying. She wished with all her heart that the pain would all end. All of the hurt, the sadness, the grief…

It only lasted a few seconds. She opened her eyes and saw that everyone else was recovering from similar sensations.

Captain Rex groaned and panted heavily, clutching his stomach. "God, that was horrible."

Shaak stood up and dusted herself off. "Everyone who has been to the Valley of the Sith Lords claims they were attacked by the Sith spirits the moment they entered."

One of the clones groaned. "Oh, don't tell me we were just attacked by _ghosts_."

Slick shook his head. "I warned you coming here was a bad idea! We ought to turn back now!"

"Shut up, Spider!" snapped Rex. "If you weren't mad before, I'd say now you're not one of us!"

Slick was stunned. There it was, the accusation of hate. All the more reason Slick didn't belong in the army. First, it was the Jedi slavers, now the clones; Slick's own brothers. When the attack came, he couldn't wait to get revenge on them all.

The AT-TE pilot broke the silence. "We got incoming battle droids! They're being led by bounty hunters!"

Ahsoka gasped and rushed to the top hatch. She jumped out onto the top of the walker to look out over the scene. Sure enough, there were hundreds of battle droids and AATs headed their way. And sitting in the turrets of two tanks were Cad Bane and Aurra Sing.

She growled. "Boba was right. Dooku must have sent them." She hopped back into the walker and announced, "We're being held up. I'll take a squad to the base and attempt to destroy it with detonators. Boba, Rex, come with me. You too, Spider."

The small group hopped out of the tank and darted towards the wall of the canyon.

"Where do we go from here, sir?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka looked around and pointed. "We'll go through that tomb over there. Hopefully, there's another way out."

Slick shook his head. "I'm not going _into_ the tombs!"

Rex raised a finger at Slick. "You're going to do exactly what the commander orders you to do. Now, lead the way."

Slick hesitated for a second, and then sighed in defeat. "This way." He led the others to the tomb. There were two larger-than-life statues of Darth Bane guarding the large stone door. There was no sign of a control panel or other opening mechanism, so Slick said, "Well, I don't see how to get in. Any ideas?"

Ahsoka touched the door with her hand and used the Force to sense its locking mechanism. She could feel deep, square holes in the sides, and stone bars sticking into the holes. She waved her hand and used the Force to slide the bars outward, and the door slid up into the ceiling.

"Stay alert, everyone," warned Ahsoka. "There's no telling what's inside."

* * *

><p>Back in the brig of the star destroyer, AO-327 sat in his cell, tossing the remote from one hand to the other, waiting for the attack Slick had promised. But so far, things had been quiet.<p>

But on the bridge, a controller had just announced that they were under attack! "They've got two frigates, dozens of fighters, and there are two other ships leading them!"

The ship's captain looked out the main viewport to see the sizable force. Flying in front of the vulture droids and tri-fighters was a ship; the _Halo_, being piloted by the bounty hunters Sugi and Embo!

"Prepare for battle!" ordered the captain. "Load the cannons and launch the fighters! We need to hold them off for as long as we can!"

Throughout the cruiser, a blaring alarm went off, signaling an attack. That was the signal AO-327 had been waiting for. When the alarm sounded for the first time, he nearly dropped his remote. But he caught it and pressed the button to open the cell door.

It worked! The ray shield deactivated and AO-327 sprinted down the hallway to the turbolift. As he approached it, the lift opened and a clone trooper stepped out. Almost before he realized what had hit him, he was knocked unconscious by the escaping bounty hunter.

As he rode the lift, AO-327 considered his next move. Slick had said to take _Slave I_ down to the surface and pick him up. But in the midst of a battle, how long would the ship last? No, it was better to save himself and let Slick get himself out of his own mess.

So instead of going to the hanger, AO-327 went straight to the escape pod bay. He quickly stumbled into the pod and launched himself away from the cruiser. In the middle of the space battle, no one noticed the single small escape pod flying into space. AO-327 had escaped to fight another day.

* * *

><p>Captain Rex pointed into the open tomb. "You first, Spider."<p>

Slick grudgingly walked into the tomb with his blaster raised. Then he disappeared into the darkness. Satisfied that it was safe to follow, Rex, Ahsoka Tano, and Boba Fett strode in boldly. Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind them, plunging them into darkness.

It wasn't long before the chamber was relit by statues holding torches. The three looked around and saw Slick standing in front of the door, his blaster pointed at Boba's head. "Sorry, sir. But only one of us is leaving this tomb, and it's going to be me."

Rex and Boba drew their blasters and Ahsoka her lightsabers. "You're not going to shoot Boba. You're outnumbered three to one."

Slick laughed. "Who said it was only one?" On his cue, the statues that lined the hallway rumbled to life, moving to form a circle around the intruders with their torches held aloft. Slick laughed again. "I've been waiting for over a year to get back at you, Rex. Thanks to me, you're going to spend the rest of your life rotting in a cell," he paused to remove his helmet and toss it aside, and then finished with a malicious smile, "just like I did thanks to you."

Rex stared long and hard. "Slick? Is that really you?"

"You know this clone?" asked Ahsoka.

"Oh, yes I do. He's the traitor who sold our troops to Ventress on Christophsis."

Ahsoka frowned. "No wonder you've been so suspicious. You're a traitor!"

"Oh, I'm not a traitor anymore," replied Slick coolly. "I renounced the Republic and you Jedi _slavers_ long ago. If there's a traitor here, it's _him_!" Slick pointed accusingly at Boba.

"Boba is not a traitor!" defended Ahsoka. "He's learned that he's not loyal to Dooku…"

"I'm not talking about just the Sith Lord who hired us," interrupted Slick, "but you, too. You think Boba really likes you? Or even cares about you at all? No, he's lying so he can gain your trust. All he cares about is getting the holodisk back so he can bail out on you!"

"That's not true!" insisted Boba. He turned to face his friend. "Ahsoka, I didn't lie to you. I really _do_ love you, and I want to protect you! That's why I offered to help you!"

"And what about the holodisk?" asked Ahsoka. "Is this true?"

Boba chose his words carefully. "At first, it was. I wanted to gain your trust so you would return the disk and I could escape with it. But then I fell in love with you, and I realized that if I left, we would both be heartbroken. So I didn't know what to do."

Ahsoka stared at him in disbelief. "So that's it? All you wanted was to do your job, so you lied to me?"

"It's not a lie anymore!" Boba took off his helmet so he could look at Ahsoka properly. A tear was trickling down his cheek. "Please, Ahsoka. Please believe me. I really do love you."

"How do I know that?"

Boba hesitated for a second, and then, without warning, threw his arms around Ahsoka and drew her into deep, passionate kiss.

At first, Ahsoka tried to wriggle free of his embrace, but then she calmed down and hugged him back as they continued to kiss. They were safe, happy, and warm in each other's arms, and their lips sealed their love. Ahsoka wished they could stand there, holding each other forever. When the kiss finally broke, Ahsoka whispered, "I love you, too."

Slick snorted. "Well, I'm glad we got _that_ out. Now, back to business." He raised his gun and pointed it at Boba's head again. "Give me that holodisk or you both die."

Ahsoka didn't want to give up the disk, but she couldn't let Boba die because of her. Finally, Boba said soothingly, "Ahsoka… just do it." He held out his hand.

Ahsoka nodded her head and pulled the disk off of her belt. Slowly, she placed it in Boba's hand. Then they let go of each other and Boba approached Slick, who was now smiling in triumph.

But then Boba threw the disk on the ground and stepped on it, crushing it. Slick gasped and dove to grab it. He put it into his holoprojector and pressed the activation button to see if it worked. A red hologram of a spherical object flickered into view, and then died.

Slick's despair turned to anger as he stood up to confront Boba. "How dare you! You will pay for this treachery!" In one swift movement, Slick raised his blaster rifle and fired a single shot that hit Boba in the chest.

Ahsoka gasped. "Boba! No!" She ran to catch Boba as he fell. The shot had burned through his armor and he wasn't moving. She checked his vital signs. No detectable pulse, nor breathing.

Slick chuckled. "A fitting fate for a traitor. And now, Jedi, you will join him." He raised the blaster again, this time pointing at Ahsoka.

The next thing Ahsoka knew, an explosion dominated her senses. When the smoke cleared, she saw an armored clone body, head, and four limbs, all blackened and smoking, strewn across the floor. She turned around and saw Rex holding one of his smoking concussion rifles.

Rex lowered the rifle and breathed a sigh of relief. "A fitting fate indeed."

But the fight wasn't over. The giant statues had become angry and were marching threateningly towards the survivors. Ahsoka reactivated her lightsabers and Rex drew his concussion rifles.

One of the statues swung its flaming torch at Ahsoka, who jumped to avoid it and sliced it off. The statue threw what was left of the torch at Ahsoka and she used the Force to catch and throw it back at its source. The stone collided with the statue's chest and broke in two pieces.

The statue, however, was unharmed, and began trying to punch, kick, and crush its Jedi opponent. But Ahsoka dodged easily and sliced at whatever body part she could. Finally, she managed to sever an arm, which fell to the ground and exploded into small chunks of rock.

Rex, meanwhile, was shooting at every statue that came too close. The concussion balls blew entire chunks out of the statues, but they never hindered. Only after the midsection of one statue had been completely blown away did it finally explode.

Ahsoka was still struggling with her first statue. Then, before she had time to react, another statue approached her from behind and picked her up. Ahsoka yelled and attempted to wriggle free, but its grip was very tight, and it had pinned her arms at her sides, so she couldn't use her lightsabers. While the statue held her in one hand, it used its other hand to push its torch progressively towards her.

Ahsoka thought frantically to find a way to escape. Rex was busy with the other statues, and the first statue was headed her way. She could only think of one option. She closed her eyes and attempted to calm down. This was necessary in order to use the Force to crush the stone hand that was holding her.

She felt the heat of the torch grow. She also felt the stone around her cracking. She pushed harder and harder until, finally, the hand exploded and Ahsoka fell to the ground with a bone-jarring impact. When she was able to stand and fight, she realized that she had dropped her lightsabers!

As the two statues marched towards her, she backed away and looked around for her weapons. She finally saw them… buried in the rocks _behind_ the statues! Ahsoka thought quickly and used the Force to bang the two statues' heads together, temporarily stunning them.

With a burst of speed provided by the Force, she darted between them and began to pry her lightsabers out of the rubble. The second statue, meanwhile, had figured out what had happened and lunged at her with its torch held aloft. Ahsoka pulled harder at one of her lightsabers and, in one swift motion, back flipped and spun so that the lightsaber sliced cleanly through the statue's neck. Its head fell to the ground and shattered while its body fell backwards against the other statue. Both hit the ground and blew up.

Unbeknownst to the two heroes, they were being watched.

* * *

><p>Darth Sidious stood inside the main chamber that contained the casket of Darth Bane, using the Force to sense the happenings in the hallway. Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex had almost destroyed all of the statues, with the last ones falling.<p>

"This Jedi is a powerful one indeed," he sneered. "Perhaps it is time for the… backup enemies." He waved his hand and the entire temple began to rumble.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka sighed in relief as the last statue was destroyed. "That wasn't too hard."<p>

"We'd better get Boba back to the cruiser," said Rex. "Hurry!" He ran to pick up Boba Fett's body, but froze when the temple began to shake.

"What's happening?" asked Ahsoka. Then, to her horror, a skeleton hand burst up through the ground. More appeared all over the hallway, and the hands all pulled themselves out of the holes, pulling behind them arms, torsos, skulls, and legs. Soon, there were dozens of live skeletons walking through the hallway, with more emerging from the holes in the ground.

Rex yelped. "What in damnation…?"

The skeletons began to stumble their way towards the Jedi and clone. Ahsoka unleashed a Force blast that threw the skeletons off their feet, but they just got back up. Rex fired a concussion blast at them, and bones went flying. But to his surprise, all of the joints rolled towards their respective bones and reattached themselves.

"They're being bewitched by the Dark Side," realized Ahsoka. "They can't be destroyed!"

"Well, _that_ complicates things!" exclaimed Rex.

Ahsoka ignited her lightsabers and began slicing through the skeletons while Rex continued to shoot at them. But no matter how hard they tried, the skeletons reassembled themselves and more kept coming. Soon, the heroes were being driven back towards the door.

"We have to get out of here!" said Rex.

"Cover me!" ordered Ahsoka. "I'll get the door open." Ahsoka used the Force to open the door, like she had done earlier, but it wouldn't budge. It was being held shut by the dark side. So Ahsoka used the next best thing – her lightsabers. Thankfully, the stone could be cut through, though it was much harder.

Rex continued to shoot at the skeletons to buy Ahsoka as much time as he could. If they didn't hurry, they would both be dead. Not to mention Boba…

Boba! Rex had completely forgotten about him! He looked around frantically for the boy. Finally, he saw him. Four skeletons had grabbed Boba's limbs and were pulling him into the ground! "Boba!"

In response to Rex's cry, Ahsoka whirled around, took one look at Boba, and charged through the skeletons. "Take over, Captain!"

Rex saw that one of Ahsoka's lightsabers was lying on the ground in front of the door. He picked it up, fumbled for the activation plate, and continued to cut.

Ahsoka, meanwhile, slashed at every skeleton in her way as she ran to save her friend. She sliced off the heads of the skeletons dragging Boba's body, but they didn't stop. So she cut off their hands and pulled Boba back to the door.

But the other skeletons were angry and followed the intruders, attempting to grab at whatever body part they could. Suddenly, Ahsoka felt a cold palm and five bony fingers grab her face. She threw a fist blindly in the direction of the arm, but another skeleton caught her hand, and then another caught her other hand. She tried to kick out with her legs, but they had been grabbed, too. And wriggling free was pointless, for two more skeleton arms reached out of the ground and pulled at her waist.

No matter how hard Ahsoka struggled, the skeletons wouldn't let go, and she felt herself sink into the ground and become covered in dirt. She was completely buried, yet the skeletons were still attacking her, squeezing her body, tearing at her skin, and ripping her clothes. She held her breath for as long as she could, but it was no use.

She was going to die, with her lover by her side.

* * *

><p>Rex watched as the skeletons began to pull Ahsoka and Boba into the ground, feeling helpless to save them. His only option was to continue cutting and save himself. The hole in the door was almost complete, but the skeletons were coming for him now! Rex felt himself being pulled off his feet and dragged across the tomb to join Ahsoka and Boba. As the skeletons began to pull him under the ground, Rex prayed for a miracle.<p>

Then, to his surprise, a blue lightsaber blade suddenly appeared at the other end of the cutting path and cut the rest of the way. The door fell open and Shaak Ti ran in, lightsaber aloft, followed by dozens of clones.

All of the other clones panicked upon seeing the skeletons, and began firing streams of blasterfire in all directions. The skeletons fell apart, but they were still slowly reassembling themselves. And their three victims were already under the ground!

But Shaak didn't panic. She closed her eyes and held out her arms. "Be ready to grab them once you're clear." The clones didn't understand what she meant, but they continued firing. Shaak waved her right arm in a circle and a breeze blew through the tomb. She then began waving both arms in circles, gradually moving faster and wider. To everyone's astonishment, a cyclone appeared in front of her and tugged at the skeletons.

The cyclone continued to grow and pick up pace until the skeletons were sucked into the vortex, clearing the floor. Several clones ran in to dig Ahsoka, Boba, and Rex out of the ground while the skeletons were torn apart by the cyclone. Once the three bodies had been retrieved, Shaak lashed out with her arms and the cyclone disappeared, throwing bones in all directions. The skeleton parts move to reassemble themselves, but their parts were all mixed up, and rebuilding each one would take hours.

The Republic forces fled the tomb, and Darth Sidious, still in the other chamber, growled in displeasure. The Jedi had escaped!

* * *

><p>Ahsoka opened her eyes to see a bright, white light. Everything else was blurry, so she couldn't see anything, but she could feel that she was naked, surrounded by a soft, cloudlike surface. Her first thought was that she had indeed died in that horrible tomb.<p>

But as her eyes moved back into focus, she saw more clearly the details of her surroundings. She was in a medical ward, lying in a bed. And there was a 2-1B medical droid standing at a computer console against the wall. "I'm alive!" she gasped.

The medical droid turned around. "I see that you are awake, Commander. We were beginning to wonder if you would make it."

"What happened?" asked Ahsoka, still in doubt.

"Master Shaak Ti came with a squad of clone troopers and helped dig you and Boba Fett out. Captain Rex was severely injured in his attempt to unseal the tomb. You will be pleased to know that everyone is safe and sound."

Ahsoka sighed in relief. "Thank goodness."

"Now that you have awakened, you must get much exercise before you can be discharged. Now, if you will excuse me, I will fetch some food and fresh clothes for you while you take a shower."

* * *

><p>After Ahsoka had been washed and fed, she left her room to visit Boba Fett. She had been meaning to have a decent conversation with him, and now was as good a time as ever.<p>

But when she entered his ward, she saw that not only was it empty, but it had been completely cleaned out. She knew what that meant.

The medical droid had told her to get plenty of exercise. But after all of the running she did to find Boba, she wouldn't be surprised if they had discharged her that day. She finally found him in the hanger of the star destroyer, preparing _Slave I_ for departure.

"Boba, wait! Where are you going?"

Boba turned around to face Ahsoka. "It's time for me to leave."

Ahsoka walked up to him and protested, "But you're welcome to stay, if you want! We can work together. Once we've fully recovered, we can go back to Korriban and destroy the missile launchers."

Boba shook his head. "I don't think I want to see that planet ever again."

Ahsoka sighed and nodded in agreement.

Seeing Ahsoka's expression, Boba smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm a bounty hunter, and you're a Jedi. It wouldn't work out."

Ahsoka looked into his eyes. "Will we ever see each other again?"

Boba nodded. "I guarantee it."

The two friends shared one final hug, and then Boba boarded his ship and took off into stars. Ahsoka stared after him for as long as she could. She never realized just how much she really _did_ love him. Maybe after the war ends, they could be together.

Ahsoka kept that hope in her heart.

**_In loving memory of Ian Abercrombie (1934-2012)_**


	12. Order of Extinction

Order of Extinction (Ep. # 12, Prod. # 12)

* * *

><p>A plot failing! Sith Lord Darth Sidious, in his efforts to take control of the galaxy, has created his own private army of bounty hunters to carry out his evil deeds. But, thanks to the treachery of Boba Fett, the army has slowly fallen, and the Jedi have found Sidious' lair in the dreaded Valley of the Sith Lords.<p>

As a full-scale battle takes place between the Republic and Separatist forces, Sidious does all he can to defend himself, including looking for a new defense….

* * *

><p>Another Separatist AAT tank was blown away by a Republic AT-TE walker. In truth, this was not a surprise. Both sides have been taking turns destroying each other's forces for a few days now. It seemed like the battle droids wouldn't let their base fall easily.<p>

The clone troopers wouldn't give up, either. They knew how important it was to destroy the base. The missile launchers the Separatists had built were almost fully operational. One nuclear missile had already been launched at a Republic base on Felucia. Hoping to save other planets from the same fate, Jedi reinforcements were sent in.

Unfortunately, the Separatists sent in a droid fleet under the command of General Grievous himself! He stood on the bridge of his _Dreadnaught_-class cruiser, the _Invisible Hand_, overseeing the space battle.

"The Jedi have sent reinforcements!" he growled. "They must be desperate to destroy this base."

San Hill raised a finger. "Ah, but General, perhaps we should order the base to launch more missiles, intimidate the Republic into surrendering."

Grievous turned to face the Muun, who recoiled as their eyes met. "And what happens when we run out of missiles, you fool?"

The Banking Clan chairman and Separatist leader objected, "Count Dooku will not tolerate such talk."

Grievous roared and whipped out one of his lightsabers. "And Count Dooku will not tolerate you disrespecting the commander of his army!" When Hill was silent, Grievous deactivated the weapon and addressed the ship's captain, Lushros Dofine. "Captain, begin landing our troops."

"Yes, sir," replied the Niemoidian. He pressed a button on the console on the arm of his chair. On his signal, three H-shaped C-9979 landing craft took off from the main rear hanger and flew down to the battle zone, carrying over a thousand battle droids and about 450 tanks, all ready for combat.

* * *

><p>Outside of the Valley of the Sith Lords, not far from the battle, clone Captain Rex stood at the command center, awaiting the arrival of the Jedi who would lead the rest of the attack. When an artillery blast landed a little too close for comfort, he muttered, "Where's a Jedi when you need one?"<p>

Finally, he saw them. Several LAAT ships were descending into the atmosphere, carrying clone troopers and tanks. When they landed, the side doors of the nearest gunship opened to reveal Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and clone Commander Cody.

Rex approached them and saluted. "Glad to see you made it, sirs."

"Is Shaak Ti still here?" asked Obi-Wan.

"No, sir. She just left for Felucia."

"And what about Ahsoka?" asked Anakin eagerly.

"I'm afraid she was transferred back to Coruscant for recovery," answered Rex sympathetically. When Anakin was silent, Rex added, "You should be very proud of her, General. She's been through a lot since you last saw her, and she's learned a very hard lesson."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "What's the situation here, Rex?"

"It's not looking too good, sir. When we landed, we were assaulted by the droids. They were being led by bounty hunters. Slick must've tipped them off."

Cody shook his head. "I still can't believe he infiltrated the army and kept his cover for so long."

"Do you know who hired him and the bounty hunters?" asked Anakin.

"We couldn't get a straight answer from any of them. Though we suspect it was Count Dooku. Ahsoka and I were attacked by statues and skeletons on Slick's command. Someone powerful had to have bewitched them."

"Where did this happen?" asked Anakin.

"Darth Bane's tomb in the Valley of the Sith Lords."

Anakin cracked his knuckles. "We're going to check it out."

Obi-Wan placed a discouraging hand on his friend's shoulder. "Anakin, don't you realize we're walking into a trap?"

Anakin brushed the hand off. "Dooku nearly _killed_ Ahsoka! My padawan! You think I'm going to let him get away with this?"

"Exactly the point!" stressed Obi-Wan. "Dooku _wants_ you to go after him. He knows that if he hurt someone close to you, you would want revenge. He's wants to kill you, Anakin. Besides, those tombs are said to be haunted by the spirits of the dead Sith Lords. If you go in there to fight Dooku, you won't come out unharmed in any way."

Anakin glared at Obi-Wan in growing frustration. Finally he let out a sigh and was calm. "Fine. We'll do this your way."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Good." He then turned to the clones. "Captain, Commander, prepare the troops to march. We're going straight to the Separatist base. No detours, no pauses. It is imperative that we destroy the missile launchers before any more are launched."

* * *

><p>Darth Sidious paced in front of the stone casket of the ancient Sith Lord, Darth Bane. He was in a tricky dilemma. A full-scale battle was taking place right outside the tomb; his lair! He couldn't escape without the Jedi discovering him.<p>

Luckily for him, they believed Count Dooku was the Sith Lord who had hired the bounty hunters and was inside Darth Bane's tomb. And after what had happened to the other Jedi, they wouldn't risk going inside.

But he had to escape. He needed to carry out his plot. But his volunteer army was failing him. Who could he rely on? He looked at the casket, deep in thought. Darth Bane had established the Rule of Two, stating that only two Sith Lords could coexist, to prevent their extinction.

But the Dark Side of the Force had grown abnormally strong. That meant only one thing; there were more Sith Lords in the galaxy. That's it! Sidious needed a Sith Lord. But Count Dooku had failed him, so would he be an asset for the plan?

Perhaps if Sidious gave him another chance, he could. Not that he was very confident in Dooku, but he was desperate. And if the Count still doesn't qualify? Simple; find the other Sith Lords and bring them to Korriban. Then, a contest could be staged to determine who will kneel before him.

All he had to do was find them.

* * *

><p>When the Republic reinforcements arrived at the battlefield, they saw that the droid forces were attempting to advance on them. However, the clone troopers and tanks had formed a defensive line which they were using to destroy the droids and their tanks.<p>

Several of the AT-TEs and HAV-A6 Juggernauts had been disabled, and were being used as cover. The reinforcements wove through the broken tanks and fallen troopers to get as close as they could.

Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi took cover behind one of the broken tanks and Anakin surveyed the battle through a pair of macrobinoculars. There was a line of battle droids attempting to march forward, and behind the droids were a few AAT tanks. In the top turret of the lead tank was…

"There!" exclaimed Anakin. "Cad Bane's in that tank. He's commanding the battle."

"Well," said Obi-Wan, "Let's see if we can't give him a little push." He pressed a button on his wristcom and ordered, "Artillery, open fire."

The heavy turrets on top of the AT-TEs fired several explosive shots at the battle droids.

* * *

><p>In the turret of his AAT, Cad Bane oversaw the battle, while firing the heavy cannon at the clones. Then he saw movement behind the wrecked tanks. There were more tanks and clone troopers joining the battle. "Republic reinforcements have arrived!" he announced.<p>

Right after he said that, blue balls of energy rose into the air from behind the enemy line and landed on the droid forces. The artillery blasts shook the tank and sent droid parts flying.

The holographic projector blinked to life and the hologram of a battle droid commander appeared. "Mr. Bane, sir? The Republic has sent reinforcements."

"I can see that!" replied Bane. "Their artillery fire is tearing us apart."

"Uh, what should we do?"

"Fall back and wait for extra troops!"

The droid nodded. "Roger, roger." It moved to push the button to turn off the transmission, but hesitated. "Uh, but won't the clones get closer to our base if we retreat?"

Bane smiled deviously. "We'll have a few surprises waiting for them."

The droid scratched its metal head in confusion. "Uh, sounds like… fun. What are we doing?"

Bane slammed his fist on the control panel, cutting the transmission. He yelled to the other droids in the vicinity, "Turn the troops around!" In the cabin of the AAT, the pilot turned the tank around and drove away.

All of the other battle droids followed yelling, "Retreat!" and "Roger, roger."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker lowered his macrobinoculars. "They're falling back! All troops, advance!" Upon his command, the combined Republic forces chased the retreating droids, firing shots at them.<p>

* * *

><p>Count Dooku was sitting at his desk in his palace on the planet Serenno. He was watching a hologram of General Grievous and San Hill, who were reporting on the battle on Korriban.<p>

Grievous clenched his metal fist as he said, "I assure you, Count. The Jedi will not get away with this. By the time they come remotely close to this base, we will have launched all of our missiles." He cackled until he started coughing.

Dooku frowned. "Do not be too confident, general. The Jedi's love for life will keep them determined to destroy the missiles at all costs."

Grievous bowed. "Of course, my lord. We will deploy all of our forces to stop them."

Hill interrupted, "But, my lord, this base and the missiles represent a significant investment. If the Jedi destroy them…"

"You will be compensated for your losses, chairman," assured Dooku. He pressed the button to turn off the holotransmitter, but as soon as the holograms disappeared, the device began to beep, signaling another message. Dooku was genuinely surprised. The transmitter was displaying a special frequency used only by Sith Lords.

Dooku pressed the button again, and this time, the hologram of Darth Sidious sprang up. He hadn't expected his master to call him so soon. After his failure on Kashyyyk, Sidious had cut him off. Thankfully, this was only a recording, so Dooku didn't have to talk to him.

"I am surprised to hear that you are alive and well. The Sith Order has indeed grown powerful. Yet, the Jedi are slowly stepping ahead of us in the war, and we cannot afford a Jedi victory. As we speak, there is a battle outside of my lair. My army of bounty hunters has failed, and I am forced to take on more… desperate measures.

"That is why I have decided to give you another chance. Meet me in Darth Bane's tomb on Korriban. I will have quite a challenge awaiting you." With that, the hologram winked off.

Dooku didn't make his decision easily. He had to think for a long time. He knew that Darth Sidious was the cruelest, most deceptive, manipulative being in the galaxy. It could very well be a trap. He could have found a new apprentice and wanted to test him by having him kill his predecessor.

On the other hand, Sidious could be telling the truth. He was as unpredictable as he was deadly. If he really was under attack, and he was forced to resort to a group of mercenaries, Sidious probably did need help from a Sith Lord.

Finally, Dooku typed a frequency into the transmitter and ordered his pilot droid to prepare his ship for departure.

* * *

><p>Deep in the Outer Rim was the planet Dathomir. From one side, it appeared green with blue oceans. But the other side revealed its true colors. It was shrouded in a deep, blood red fog, which concealed the dry and barren landscape, strewn with thorns and the skeletons of unfortunate animals.<p>

It was the inhospitality of this planet that attracted the even more mysterious inhabitants. Apart from the monstrous rancors and sarlaccs, Dathomir was aptly nicknamed the Planet of the Witches. The Dathomirians used ancient magic powered by the dark side of the Force. Yet, the witches were very different from the Sith.

Although they did not like the Sith, one of the witches was once a Sith apprentice. Asajj Ventress was taken from the Nightsister clan as an infant and fell under the tutelage of exiled Jedi Master Ky Narec. When he was killed, Asajj turned to the dark side and became Count Dooku's secret Sith apprentice.

But, recently, Dooku betrayed her (under the discrete orders of Darth Sidious) and left her for dead at the hands of Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. She limped back home and enlisted her kin in her new mission; to kill Dooku.

But, after an attempted assassination attempt on him, Dooku sent General Grievous and the droid army to massacre the Nightsisters. Asajj was the only survivor. She left Dathomir and became a bounty hunter to survive.

Asajj was currently sitting in a cantina on Tatooine. She was flipping through a series of files on a computer, trying to decide who to go after next. Suddenly, she heard a faint beeping. She reached for her belt and pulled out her holotransmitter. She raised her eyebrows in confusion. Who would be contacting her?

She pressed the button and a hologram appeared. It was Darth Sidious! How did he find out she was alive? Before she could question further, Sidious spoke.

"I am surprised to hear that you are alive and well. The Sith Order has indeed grown powerful. Yet, the Jedi are slowly stepping ahead of us in the war, and we cannot afford a Jedi victory. As we speak, there is a battle outside of my lair. My army of bounty hunters has failed, and I am forced to take on more… desperate measures.

"That is why I have decided to give you another chance. Meet me in Darth Bane's tomb on Korriban. I will have quite a challenge awaiting you."

After the hologram disappeared, Asajj thought for a moment. If Sidious was offering apprenticeship to him, it had to be better than killing low-lives for a living. She decided to take advantage of this opportunity.

* * *

><p>The Nightsisters were not alone on Dathomir. On the other side, deep in the snowy mountains, resided the Nightbrother village. The Nightbrothers were all of the Zabrak species, and had vestigial horns crowning their heads, elaborate, colorful full-body tattoos, and two hearts that made them more resistant to pain.<p>

The Nightbrothers and sisters would, by custom, mate with each other to form the mixed Dathomirian species. After birth, the males would go to the mountain village, while the females went to the forest temple. The Nightbrothers possessed no magic, but they were strong and fierce warriors.

Recently, two former Nightbrothers returned to live in the village. Not only were they brothers, but they were also Sith warriors: Darth Maul and Savage Opress.

Darth Maul had been taken at a young age to become the Sith apprentice of Darth Sidious. But, during the War of Naboo, he was sliced in half and knocked into a melting pit by Obi-Wan Kenobi. But, unbeknownst to the Jedi, his spirit was kept alive by his desire for revenge.

He acquired a cybernetic lower half and fled to Lotho Minor in the Outer Rim. He went into a state of near madness, and his memories were lost to him. He lived in this solitude for nearly twelve years.

More recently, Nightsister Asajj Ventress came and tested several Nightbrothers to serve as Count Dooku's new Sith apprentice. Savage Opress passed the test and was brought to Talzin's clan, where he was mutated into a hulking monster, designed to learn the dark side from Dooku and, when the time came, aid Asajj in killing him.

But when that day came, Savage was betrayed by both Sith, and limped back to Dathomir following a fierce duel with both the Sith and two Jedi Knights. Talzin told him about his lost brother, who would teach him the ways of the dark side. She gave Savage an enchanted talisman that would lead him to Maul. When Savage found Maul, he brought him back to Talzin to be completely healed.

Now, they both lived in their former home, one training the other in the dark side of the Force. At the moment, they were in the midst of a sparring match. And they appeared to be equally skilled. Both wielded red double lightsabers, and Maul's martial arts style cancelled out Savage's brute strength. Maul was covered in red tattoos and wore black Sith robes, and Savage had yellow tattoos and wore special Nightsister armor, with an enchanted bladed staff strapped to his back.

Maul attacked with a series of kicks coupled with his lightsaber swings, but the kicks barely affected Savage, and he was strong enough to block the swings with his own lightsaber. Maul goaded between pants, "You defend well, Savage. But have you the strength to attack?"

Savage growled and swung his lightsaber with such ferocity that Maul's weapon was forced away from its owner's body. Once he found an opening, Savage grabbed Maul's wrist and flung him over his shoulder. As Maul hit the ground, his lightsaber rolled away. As Savage stomped towards his fallen opponent, Maul unleashed a Force blast that knocked his brother backwards and into a cliff wall.

Maul stood up and retrieved his weapon. "How disappointing. Powerful, yet so subtle."

Savage replied in his deep voice, "You are too weak. You cannot expect to defeat a worthy opponent with skill alone."

Maul shook his head. "Neither skill nor strength determine the outcome of a battle. Fear is everything. It makes the strong weak, the brave cowardly, and the other way around. Fear is my ally, and a powerful ally it is."

Savage panted. "You speak with wisdom, I'll give you that. But you are afraid, too. I can sense it. Your fear usually outweighs your enemies, but one day you will meet someone who is not afraid of you, and when that day comes, you will not survive."

Maul frowned. The fact that his brother may have been right crossed his mind briefly, but he replied, "We will see."

Their conversation was interrupted when Savage's holotransmitter began to beep. Savage pulled out the device and pressed the activation button. The hologram of Darth Sidious sprang up and relayed the same message he had sent to Dooku and Ventress.

"I am surprised to hear that you are alive and well. The Sith Order has indeed grown powerful. Yet, the Jedi are slowly stepping ahead of us in the war, and we cannot afford a Jedi victory. As we speak, there is a battle outside of my lair. My army of bounty hunters has failed, and I am forced to take on more… desperate measures.

"That is why I have decided to give you another chance. Meet me in Darth Bane's tomb on Korriban. I will have quite a challenge awaiting you."

When the hologram disappeared, the two brothers stared at where Sidious had stood, and then at each other. How had Sidious learned of their survival? And what was he planning for them?

After a silent conversation, they decided they would go. But at the same time, they wondered what their challenge would be.

* * *

><p>Back on Korriban, the Republic troops had driven the battle droids back towards the Separatist base. The base was a large space with several small buildings and missile launchers, all surrounded by four tall, thick walls. At the front of the base was an extended drawbridge.<p>

Obi-Wan Kenobi surveyed the base from atop of an HAV-A6 Juggernaut. The base was surrounded by battle droids and AATs, and on the other side, the C-9979 landing craft were deploying more tanks, and Multi-Troop Transports, which contained 112 battle droids each.

Obi-Wan turned to Anakin Skywalker. "There are landing craft deploying even _more_ droids. They're behind the base, so we can't reach them."

"We'll take care of them," assured Anakin. "Right now, we need to storm the base while it's still vulnerable."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "You never foresee traps, do you?"

Anakin chuckled. "You never foresee when there are _not_ any traps."

Obi-Wan smiled. "Fair enough. But we should approach cautiously. We don't know what other defenses they have."

Anakin shook his head in surrender. Then he jumped off of the tank and landed amid the clone troopers who were still shooting at the battle droids. "Press on! We need to get inside that building!" He ignited his lightsaber and began deflecting shots from the droids. At the same time, the clones yelled in encouragement as they ran towards the base, Obi-Wan's tank behind them.

* * *

><p>In the turret of his AAT, Cad Bane watched as the clone troopers charged towards the base. He chuckled. "Those Jedi never seem to know when something's coming for them. What a pity." He activated his wrist comlink and ordered, "Raise the drawbridge and activate the turrets."<p>

Anakin Skywalker's heart lurched as the drawbridge that allowed entrance to the base was raised and locked into the wall. Then thirty panels in the wall opened and a single ball-and-socket turret appeared from each one. Each turret immediately began firing a steady stream of blaster bolts at any enemy that came too close.

"Fall back!" ordered Anakin. As the clones turned around and ran for their lives, Anakin attempted to deflect as many shots as he could. The Juggernaut was slower to turn around, and was peppered with blasterfire. Obi-Wan Kenobi jumped off the tank just before it exploded.

Once the clones were out of range, the turrets retracted. Anakin wiped his brow. "Well, looks like someone will have to go around and destroy the turrets from the inside."

Obi-Wan sighed in defeat. "Fine, Anakin, you can go. But," he stressed, "do not take any detours; go straight to the base as quickly as you can."

Anakin smiled. "I will." He turned and ran back through the lines of Republic troops, a smug smile on his face. He said he wouldn't take any detours, and he said he would get there as quickly as possible. But what if his route went through Darth Bane's tomb?

* * *

><p>General Grievous watched as the space battle over Korriban unfolded. Republic <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers and Separatist _Munificent_-class star frigates were firing at each other with their turbolasers. Three-seated clone ARC-170 starfighters and Y-Wing bombers were holding against the droid tri-fighters and vulture droids.

Grievous growled as he watched a Separatist frigate being blown apart by a star destroyer. "I don't know how much longer we can hold up." He pulled out a holoprojector and typed in a frequency. "K2-B4, do you copy?"

The hologram of tactical droid K2-B4 appeared and replied, "Yes, General."

"Has the clone detachment crumbled yet?"

"Not yet, sir. I calculate that they are holding out of the range of our turrets."

"Then what are you waiting for?" demanded Grievous. "March forward and attack!"

K2-B4 nodded in acknowledgement. "Roger, roger. I calculate that they will be crippled within 2.48 hours. Then we shall be victorious."

After the hologram flickered off, Grievous turned back to the main viewport and watched as the _Invisible Hand_ and another frigate closed in on the star destroyer, tearing it apart.

* * *

><p>On the other side of Korriban, A brown, seed-shaped solar sailer dropped out of hyperspace with its enormous plasma-absorbing sail extended in front of it. The solar sailer was powered off of solar radiation from nearby stars, so it did not need it use its thrusters when the sail was utilized. This allowed the ship to pass through freely without being detected on scanner or radar systems.<p>

That was why Count Dooku used it so. He could slip onto planets as heavily guarded as Coruscant and not be detected. This also allowed him to sneak past the space battle over Korriban and land in the Valley of the Sith Lords.

Dooku stood up from the passenger seat and clasped his regal brown cape around his neck and checked to make sure his curved-hilt lightsaber was attached to his belt. He turned to the FA-4 pilot droid and instructed, "Have the ship prepared to leave at any moment."

The back hatch of the ship opened and Dooku strode out proud and tall. As he walked through the valley, he could hear the sounds of blaster fire and explosions in the distance. He didn't normally like to participate in battles, but there were those rare exceptions.

He approached the tomb of Darth Bane with alertness. He knew that these tombs were laden with tricks and traps, and Darth Sidious himself was inside. There was no telling what the "challenge" would be.

Dooku waved his hand and used the Force to open the door to the tomb.h Sidious pace It was pitch dark inside, but he didn't need his eyes to see. He strode straight forward into the next chamber, in which sat the casket of Darth Bane. Suddenly, the chamber was illuminated by torchlight, revealing one other figure. But it wasn't Sidious. It was…

"…Ventress!" Dooku ignited his blood red lightsaber.

Asajj Ventress laughed triumphantly. "I had a feeling you would be here, Count. I would never miss a chance at revenge."

"Neither would I," growled a low, deep voice. Both turned towards the entrance to see Savage Opress. Then he stepped aside to reveal a second person, whom they were astonished to see.

"Darth Maul?" breathed Dooku. "How did you survive?"

Maul replied, "I didn't survive. After my defeat and resurrection, I went into exile. For too many years I lived in madness. I had no company, no memories. And now, I have a chance to reclaim my title as the true Dark Lord of the Sith."

Asajj sneered. "You are _all_ traitors!" She ignited her twin lightsabers and assumed a defensive pose. "You shall pay for your treachery!"

Savage ignited his double lightsaber and growled. "You betrayed me! All the time I thought you cared, you were using me like a decoy!"

"As I said before," said Dooku, "a failed apprentice makes for a foolish master."

Asajj pointed one of her blades at her former master. "You are responsible for all of this! You and your desire to take an apprentice, only to dispose of her like a dirty rag! You broke the balance of the Dark Side. If anyone heredeserves to die, it's you."

Maul ignited his lightsaber as well, and held it threateningly. Savage turned to face him. "And you? Would you really kill your own brother?"

Maul shook his head with a sad smile. "As unfortunate as it is, only one of us can live. That is the rule of the Sith."

Savage growled. "You really _are_ a traitor! You never cared about me! You were using me to do your dirty work!"

Maul replied, "That is the role of the apprentice."

The four combatants stood in separate corners of the room, waiting for someone to make the first move.

Anakin Skywalker ran up to Darth Bane's tomb and threw open the door. He ignited his lightsaber and held it aloft, using it as a lantern in the darkness. Whoever was in here almost killed Ahsoka. His Padawan! Anakin was determined to make them see the error of their ways!

Anakin snuck slowly through the dark hall, with his lightsaber casting a blue glow on the walls. He could make out carvings that depicted Darth Bane's life and accomplishments. As if Sith Lords ever accomplish anything worthwhile….

Suddenly, without warning, the pure blue turned to blood red. Anakin gaped at his lightsaber, which was now the color of a Sith weapon. He whirled around, keeping alert for any sign. Then, he saw another red blade appear at the other end of the hall.

Anakin held his weapon ready and confronted this new player. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The figure slowly walked forward. As he drew closer, Anakin could make out his features. Or, at least, what features were visible. This person was wearing a black, hooded cloak that concealed most of his face. Anakin could, however, notice that the person's pale skin was scarred and wrinkled.

Darth Sidious replied, "In time, you will call me 'Master.'"

Anakin growled. "You think I can become a Sith? After what you did to my Padawan?"

"No, I _know_ you will become a Sith. I have foreseen it long ago. I know much about you, Anakin Skywalker. You come from a troubled past, full of pain, hate, betrayal. You crave for something more. More than any Jedi has ever dreamed of."

Anakin panted heavily in fear. Whoever this person was, he was right.

Sidious continued, "You were born to join our ranks, Anakin. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Join me, and we can end this…"

"SHUT UP!" interjected Anakin. "I will never turn to the Dark Side! _Never!_"

Sidious cackled. "But you are already on the dark path. I can sense all of your strongest emotions growing. All of your fear, your anger, your hate…"

Anakin let out a yell that shook the tomb and lunged at Sidious, who easily blocked the blow with his own lightsaber.

"You will never defeat me, young Skywalker," coaxed the Sith Lord. "No matter how strong your dark emotions are, they will never destroy me!"

Anakin pressed his attacks, swinging at Sidious' head from three different directions. But Sidious still did not yield. Then it was his turn to attack. And he was deceptively strong for an old man. It required all of Anakin's strength to defend himself.

Sidious suddenly flipped backwards out of Anakin's reach. "You are certainly well-learned in saber techniques, but can you defend yourself against the Force?" He lifted his hands and unleashed bursts of Force lightning. But Anakin raised his lightsaber just in time to absorb the lightning with his blade.

Sidious cackled in triumph, fueling Anakin's anger even more. Anakin continued to pant, then, with another yell, unleashed a Force blast that threw Sidious against the door to the next chamber. As the Sith Lord stood up, Anakin charged with his lightsaber over his head. As he swung, Sidious defended himself with his own lightsaber.

They exchanged a few more powerful blows, and then Anakin drove Sidious backwards into the chamber, where four Sith Lords were already locked in a four-way duel.

As a Jedi, Count Dooku had been a master swordsman in fencing. Despite his old age, he was far more dangerous than ever. Asajj Ventress, however, integrated acrobatics into her style. And with Darth Maul's martial arts and Savage Opress' strength, they were all equally matched. Then, as the two new combatants were caught in the conflict, Sidious' powers and Anakin's emotions turned the duel into a six-way free-for-all.

The speed of the duel made it impossible for a bystander to follow all of the combatants' moves. It was every man for himself. When two people locked sabers, they were forced to pull away to defend themselves against another person. There were brief moments in which two- or three-person duels separated from the main duel.

At one point, Savage, Asajj, and Maul were locked in a duel. When both Zabraks swung at her at the same time, Asajj, swung both of her lightsabers outward, and then flipped herself backward to land behind them. Savage and Maul clashed, and when they noticed Asajj preparing to stab them both, Maul kicked her in the face to stun her, and Savage unleashed a Force blast that knocked the other two into the air.

Meanwhile, Anakin and Dooku were dueling with each other while Sidious watched from the sideline. Dooku moved elegantly, attacking and defending with grace and ease. Anakin, with an angry expression carved into his face, swung wildly and blocked strongly.

As their blades locked, Dooku leaned in over Anakin's face and taunted, "Your emotions make you powerful, Skywalker. You would be a great asset…"

"NEVER!" roared Anakin, pushing the Count to the ground. As Anakin brought his lightsaber down, Dooku rolled out of the way and unleashed a short burst of Force lightning that catapulted Anakin to land at Sidious' feet.

Sidious chuckled deviously and tortured Anakin with more lightning. But the entranced Jedi was ready for the attack and absorbed the bolts with his blade. Then, when the lightning stopped, he flipped backwards to land on his feet and resumed his duel with Sidious.

As she and Maul hit the wall, Asajj was the first to recover and charged at Savage. But, unexpectedly, she stopped short and threw out her hands. Green mist burst from her hand and engulfed Savage's head. His head began to pound, and he couldn't see anything beyond the mist.

But Savage remembered something his brother had taught him. He was able to see using the Force. He closed his eyes and calmed his mind. As Asajj brought her lightsabers down over her head, they were blocked by Savage's blades. As they both pushed their weapons as hard as they could, Savage felt for his enchanted Nightsister blade, which was still strapped to his back. In one swift movement, he drew the blade and used it to stab its creator to death.

* * *

><p>Asajj Ventress was dead, and her spell clouding Savage's vision lifted just in time for him to see Maul and Dooku preparing to attack him. While the three men were dueling with each other, Anakin was beginning to tire from his duel with Sidious.<p>

As their lightsabers clashed, Sidious let out a sinister laugh. "Yes, you have fought well, young Skywalker. But you cannot go on. You are too exhausted. A true Sith would not…"

"I am _not_ a Sith!" protested Anakin. "I am a Jedi, now and forever!" He reached out with the Force and attempted to throw Sidious backwards, but the Sith Lord countered the attack and Anakin was thrown instead. He hit the ground, and Sidious advanced on him.

Then, he got an idea. He used the Force to break the ceiling of the tomb and brought large chunks tumbling down. As the Sith Lords dodged the rocks, Anakin took advantage of the opportunity and fled from the tomb.

But first, he looked back at the chamber and watched as Dooku and Maul dove to avoid being crushed by the debris. Savage, however, wasn't quick enough, and Anakin felt a terrible sting as Savage was crushed to death.

Dooku pointed his lightsaber threateningly and Maul and said, "It's just the two of us, now. Both former apprentices of Lord Sidious."

Maul held out his lightsaber in a ready stance. "We shall have to see who is the more powerful, Count. I _will_ regain my title as Sith Lord."

"You will try." With those last words, the two villains engaged, with their master watching in anticipation. Neither opponent seemed to be gaining the upper hand. Dooku's elegant attacks so often caught Maul off guard, but he retaliated with kicks. After a while, Dooku's handsome face became cut and bruised.

When Maul defended a downward stroke from Dooku, he pushed their weapons above their heads and kicked Dooku in the stomach, sending him stumbling backwards and tripping over a fallen piece of the ceiling. Maul leapt into the air and held his lightsaber over his head, ready to make the kill. But Dooku knocked Maul away with a blast of Force lightning.

Dooku stood up and approached his fallen opponent. "How disappointing. I had expected more from you, Lord Maul. Do you not have any skill at all?"

Enraged, Maul pushed himself up off the ground and drove the handle of his lightsaber into Dooku's chin. While Dooku was apparently stunned, Maul spun around and drove his blade through Dooku's stomach…

…If Dooku hadn't sidestepped and drove his blade through Maul's heart! As Maul gasped in sudden pain, Dooku leaned into his ear and whispered, "I learned from Qui-Gon's mistake." He pulled his lightsaber out and, as Maul fell, sliced through his midsection, the same way Obi-Wan Kenobi had so many years ago.

As Darth Maul's body crumpled to the floor, Sidious applauded. "Good, good. You are indeed powerful." Dooku knelt before his master. "You have earned the right to participate in the next part of my plot to destroy the Republic."

Dooku was pleased that he had regained Sidious' trust, but at the same time… "What about Skywalker? After he saw what just ensued…"

"He will think it was a mere hallucination. My identity is safe, but now, we must leave this tomb. Rise, my apprentice."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back at the Separatist base, Obi-Wan Kenobi was getting impatient. "If Anakin disobeyed orders again…" He didn't bother finishing his sentence. The turrets were still online and the battle droids were pressing their attack. Obi-Wan sighed. "I'll just have to do it myself, as usual." He turned to Captain Rex and Commander Cody. "Hold here and wait for my signal."<p>

After the clones affirmed their understanding, Obi-Wan ran towards the base. As he turned a corner in the canyon, however, he was met with Cad Bane in an AAT. Bane snarled, "Kenobi! I've got a score to settle with you!" He lowered the cannon to point at Obi-Wan and fired.

Obi-Wan leapt into the air to avoid the blast and brought his lightsaber down through the barrel of the cannon, disabling it. He jumped on top of the turret to strike Bane down, but the bounty hunter pulled out his blasters and began firing them in rapid succession. Obi-Wan deflected the bolts with his lightsaber, but he was being driven backwards onto the cannon.

As Obi-Wan carefully stepped across the narrow pipe, Bane pulled levers in the turret, causing it to rotate and elevate up and down, attempting to knock the Jedi off-balance. Obi-Wan's foot slipped and he fell, grabbing what was left of the barrel and hanging by one hand. But Bane didn't stop trying to shake him off. Then, at the top of the cannon's elevation, Obi-Wan let go and used the Force to propel him towards the turret. He kicked a startled Bane in the face, knocking him off the tank.

While Bane lay dazed on the ground, Obi-Wan stood over him, threatening him with his lightsaber. "It's over, Bane. I never thought of you as a war commander, and, apparently, I was right."

Bane shook his head, chuckling. "I ain't in this for your damn-fooled idealistic crusade. I'm in it for the money. I expect to be well-paid for this job."

"And who hired you?"

"I'm not talking to you, Jedi filth!" On that last word, Bane extended his arm and activated his wrist-mounted flamethrower. Obi-Wan used the Force to divert the flames away from him, but that gave Bane time to fly away using his jet boots.

Obi-Wan used his lightsaber to deflect Bane's blaster bolts as he watched the bounty hunter flee. Then, Bane deactivated his jet boots and disappeared behind the wall of the base. Obi-Wan ran to jump on top of the wall just in time to see Bane's personal starfighter, the _Xanadu Blood_, take off and disappear into the sky. Obi-Wan sighed in frustration. Bane had escaped again!

But Obi-Wan didn't have time to dwell on this loss. All of the battle droids in the base had seen him on the wall and were firing their blasters at him. The Jedi used his lightsaber to deflect the shots and ran along the wall until he was right above the control building.

Obi-Wan slid down the sloped roof and swung by the edge into the building, catching the battle droids and K2-B4 by surprise. Blasterfire filled the room, and when it stopped, all of the droids had been destroyed, including the tactical droid. Obi-Wan then ran to the control panels and beg searching for the controls to deactivate the turrets and lower the drawbridge. After he had found them, he used his lightsaber to slice through the panels, rendering them useless. He joked, "That was easy enough," and then ran out of the building.

With the turrets destroyed and the bridge down, the clone troopers were storming into the base shooting the droids. When the tanks arrived, they used their heavy weapons to blow apart the walls and blow up the missile launchers situated on the scaffolding. After that was finished, a clone trooper bomb squad ran around, deactivating the missiles.

All of the Republic forces cheered. They were victorious!

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker limped back to the Separatist base. He knew he still had to destroy the turrets. But when he arrived, the base was in ruins, the missiles were destroyed, and Obi-Wan Kenobi was overseeing the cleanup. But as Anakin approached him, Obi-Wan became stern. "Well, what took you so long?"<p>

Anakin cleared his throat, and then went into a coughing fit. "The, uh… the fastest way to get here was…"

"Through Darth Bane's tomb?" finished Obi-Wan. "So, while most of our troops were destroyed waiting for you, and I had to sneak in and destroy the turrets myself, you disobeyed orders to serve your personal feelings? And what did you accomplish?"

Anakin panted for several seconds before responding. "There were… Sith Lords… everywhere, attacking me. Dooku was there! And my lightsaber! It turned red…." He drew his lightsaber and activated it to show Obi-Wan what had happened to it, but, to his surprise, it was once again pure blue.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "See, Anakin? I warned you that the tombs drove people mad. And you fell right into the trap I tried to help you avoid!"

Anakin was struck dumb. Had he really only imagined it? Was it all a trick of his mind? Before he could ponder these questions, the sound of an engine caught their attention. Then a ship took off from behind the tomb and flew away.

"That's Dooku's ship!" exclaimed Anakin. "Maybe we can catch him!"

Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin's wrist and scolded, "You've already gotten into too much trouble today. You're not going anywhere without my supervision. I'm beginning to wonder if you're capable of controlling your feelings."

Anakin stared at his former master in frustration. Obi-Wan didn't even listen! How can he punish Anakin when he was wrong?


	13. Advantage of Coruscant

Advantage of Coruscant (Ep. #13)

* * *

><p>An island in a stormy sea! The Clone Wars are in full swing, and hundreds of star systems are caught in fierce fighting. One planet that remains untouched, however, is Coruscant, the capitol planet of the Republic and home of the Galactic Senate, and the Jedi Order.<p>

But criminal minds and political debates make the city a dangerous place, and the Separatist Army, led by Count Dooku and General Grievous, are willing to go to any means to capture this crucial planet….

* * *

><p>Deep in empty space, hundreds of Separatist battleships sat waiting for orders. Composed of <em>Lucrehulk<em>-class droid control ships, _Providence_-class destroyers, _Recusant-_class light destroyers, and _Munificent_-class frigates,and flanked by even more vulture droids and droid tri-fighters, the fleet was strong enough to destroy an entire moon.

On the bridge of one destroyer, the _Invisible Hand_, the fleet's commander was sitting in his chair speaking to the hologram of Count Dooku. General Grievous coughed as he said, "The army has been assembled, my lord."

"Good," replied Dooku. "My master has assured me that all will proceed as planned. But don't forget your primary objective, Grievous."

"Of course not. Once a path has been cleared, I will see to it personally."

Dooku frowned. "Remember that the outcome of the war depends on your success. If you fail…"

Grievous roared and pounded his metal fist on the arm of his chair. "I am well aware of the risks! Soon, the Separatist alliance will be victorious! I have hundreds of special weapons that I have been saving for this occasion. We will not fail."

"Very well. You have my permission to proceed, General."

As the hologram disappeared, Grievous turned to the Neimoidian sitting next to him and ordered, "Captain Dofine, prepare the fleet for hyperspace. And make it quick! What's left of my blood is boiling in anticipation."

* * *

><p>Coruscant was not only the capitol planet of the Republic, but the entire planet was one large city. The surface area of the planet was almost one million square kilometers and the population was over one trillion people – not counting twice as many tourists, temporary workers, and transients. Very little of the original geography remained. It had been completely covered by skyscrapers, metal streets and parks, and other buildings.<p>

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, Coruscant had been dominated by oceans. But as the planet became overpopulated, the oceans were drained and the water stored in underground caverns. As the city grew, more artificial systems were built to replace natural ones to increase the livability of the planet.

Now, Coruscant was a thriving metropolis. As the galactic capitol, the Senate building sat on the planet, not too far from the Jedi Temple. Vehicles flew in orderly lines across the sky, most of them taxis that allowed the wealthiest beings to travel without ever touching the ground. On the ground, known as the Underworld, were dark streets crawling with outlaws, thugs, and black market dealers.

Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano was sitting at a table at Dex's Diner waiting for her brunch. After injuries sustained during the Battle of Korriban a couple of months ago, she was given leave to explore Coruscant during her recovery. She could safely say she was almost fully functional again. She was able to move her muscles, and the spasms of sickness were becoming less frequent.

As she waited for her food, she looked around at the diner. It was poorly designed and the food was overly greasy, yet it was friendly and addictive. And Dexter, the owner and head cook, was certainly an odd one. She remembered what Anakin Skywalker had said…

Anakin. Ahsoka's former master was constantly popping into her head, reminding her of how much she missed him. She wished more than anything else that he would come back from the Outer Rim Sieges.

Ahsoka's thoughts were interrupted when FLO, the waitress droid, put a plate of sliders and a glass of juice on the table. She thanked the droid and, as it rolled away, picked up the sliders and let the grease drip off onto the plate before eating them. After she had digested the food and washed it down with the drink, she went to the counter to pay Dexter.

When Dexter came to count the money, he nearly got stuck in the doorway – again. He was a four armed, bulky Besalisk who had had many strange careers before he came to own the diner. As Ahsoka turned to leave, he asked, "Would you like to take some dessert with you, kiddo?"

Ahsoka took one look at a platter of cakes and replied, "No, thanks. I've lost my appetite."

As she left, she heard Dexter call, "Well, if you get hungry again, feel free to stop on by!"

* * *

><p>The Senate Building was as busy as ever. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine had just delivered his State of the Republic speech. Thousands of Senators had returned to Coruscant just for this occasion. It had just been an average speech, but the way Palpatine presented it, almost all of the senators were celebrating afterwards.<p>

Among the people celebrating were Senators Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, and Mon Mothma. They were in Padmé's office, having refreshments to celebrate the Republic's well-being. Padmé's protocol droid, C-3PO, was carrying a tray of wine glasses.

Mon took a sip and sighed. "I must say, the Chancellor sounded very confident in his address."

"Yes. Although…" Bail paused to take a sip. "Perhaps the war really is turning in our favor."

Padmé sighed. "I'm not so sure," she said thoughtfully. "The Separatists have been driven into the Outer Rim, but neither side has the advantage yet."

"Well, at least the war is farther away from the Core," Mon pointed out cheerfully. "That means they have less ground."

"And Coruscant is safer," added Bail. "There's no reason to not celebrate that."

Padmé nodded. "Well, then, a toast. To the safety of Coruscant." They all clinked glasses and drank.

* * *

><p>In the Jedi Temple, Master Yoda sat in his quarters, meditating. As the oldest member of the Jedi Council, he refrained from combat and preferred to use the Force to guide the order. He could feel peace, serenity…<p>

…chaos, death, and destruction! Yoda's eyes popped open in alarm and he drew the shades over his windows to gaze at the scene unfolding. Of all things possible, this was the most unexpected.

The door opened and Mace Windu ran in panting. "The city is under attack!"

It was true. Separatist droid fighters were zipping through the sky, firing their laser cannons at the buildings and people. C-9979 landing craft were slowly descending upon the ground, holding vast numbers of battle droids and tanks within their immense bodies.

Yoda's eyebrows furrowed. "Defend the city, we must."

Mace walked up to the window and stood next to him. "There are too many droids. I do not think we can fight them off for long."

"Try, we must. Depending on the Jedi, the people are." Yoda climbed down from his seat and stumped away with his gnarled gimer stick.

"We don't have a lot of troops on-planet. We'll have to call for reinforcements."

"The advantage, we have," reassured Yoda. "Know Coruscant, we do, not the droids. Navigate it, we do; the droids, on hostile territory, they are."

Mace nodded. "I'll round up what Jedi and clone troopers we have." He ran down to the temple's hanger, where other Jedi and clone troopers were scrambling to their ships.

As Mace looked around for his starfighter, Iktochi Jedi Master Saesee Tiin, who had blunt pink skin and down-curved cranial horns, ran up to him. "Master Windu, there is an enormous Separatist fleet above the planet! And more ships are pouring out of hyperspace!"

"See what you can do about it," instructed Mace. "I'm going to the front lines. Do we have any tanks on planet?"

Saesee shook his head. "Only the experimental Multi-Purpose Command Tanks."

"They'll have to do. May the Force be with you."

Saesee nodded. "May the Force be with you." He ran up to his green Eta-2 _Actis_-class interceptor and climbed into the cockpit. "Arsix, get ready for takeoff."

The astromech droid in the socket on the left wing, R6-H5, beeped in reply. The engines roared to life and Saesee took off into the sky, with several ARC-170 starfighters following him. As they ascended the atmosphere, they noticed several of the landing craft descending towards them with fighter escorts.

Saesee ordered into his comlink, "Target those landing ships. Destroy as many as you can. I'll handle the fighter escorts." As the ARC-170s fired their medium laser cannons and torpedo launchers at the landing craft, Saesee shot the vulture droids and droid tri-fighters.

After several shots and a torpedo, one of the wings of the nearest craft broke off and fell to the ground. One clone pilot wasn't quick enough to dodge the large slab of metal and was crushed by its weight. What was left of the craft, meanwhile, turned and collided with another carrier.

* * *

><p>Mace Windu, in his purple interceptor, flew past a shipyard, where several <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers and _Acclamator II_-class assault cruisers were taking off. Almost immediately, though, they were being harassed by droid fighters, which Mace shot down on his way to the battle.

Suddenly, the ship rocked and warning lights began flashing. The ship had been hit and was going down! Mace looked behind him and saw that the vulture droid that shot him wasn't too far behind him. After quick calculations, Mace opened the cockpit and let himself be carried backwards while the ship crashed into a skyscraper.

His calculations were correct. He landed right on top of the vulture droid. In one swift movement, he used his lightsaber to slice off the droid's head and grabbed the broken wires that were connected to its brain. He used the Force to secure his feet to the droid's metal body and pulled the wires to steer the fighter the rest of the way.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was flying her airspeeder when the attack began. When the droids first began firing, the normally steady line of traffic went ballistic. All kinds of vehicles were exceeding the speed limit, cutting through traffic lanes, and hitting each other. Ahsoka, using her Jedi reflexes, maneuvered her speeder to dodge the blasts fired by the droid fighters.<p>

The other civilian vehicles weren't so lucky. Some managed to find a place to land, but others crashed into the buildings. Ahsoka felt a horrible pang as a bus was shot down and exploded with dozens of people inside.

Ahsoka knew that the Jedi would be called upon as soon as the attack began, so she raced back to the Jedi Temple as fast as the speeder would go. As more busses, taxis, and airspeeders were destroyed, she became more desperate.

* * *

><p>Alarms blared in the Senate Building, and the hallways were bustling with activity. Padmé Amidala was in her office with C-3PO and Gungan Representative Jar Jar Binks. As the building shook from laser blasts, Jar Jar, who was clumsy and panicky, was running in circles, screaming. C-3PO had fallen on the floor and was struggling to stand up, muttering to himself the whole while.<p>

Padmé, meanwhile, was leaning against her desk, typing a communication frequency into her holotransmitter. "Captain Typho, are you there?"

A hologram of a young, dark-skinned man with short black hair and wearing a black eye patch appeared. He, too, was swaying from the impacts. "Senator! The city is under attack!"

Padmé was shocked. "How could this happen?"

"I don't know, but I'm on my way to pick you up."

"Thank you, Captain. I'll meet you at the west landing platform."

Typho nodded his head in understanding. Then the hologram disappeared.

Padmé motioned to her aides. "Come on. We need to get out of here."

Jar Jar followed Padmé out of the office, saying, "Meesa no liken dis! Weesa gonna be boom-ed!"

C-3PO, who was still trying to stand, called, "Wait! Wait for me! Oh, how typical."

* * *

><p>Above Coruscant, the fleet of Separatist cruisers was firing at the Republic ships that were entering and leaving the planet – including the cargo ships and public transports. The hundreds of landing craft were leaving the cruisers and landing on the planet. Republic cruisers and fighters had arrived and were fighting back.<p>

On the _Invisible Hand_, General Grievous was reporting to Count Dooku's hologram. "The attack on Coruscant is on schedule. We caught those pitiful Republic citizens by surprise, and we've begun landing our troops."

Dooku smiled deviously. "Well done, Grievous. And what of the Republic resistance?"

"They are attempting to destroy the landing craft before they land, and they've launched a counterattack. But, I promise you, Count. We will crush the clone troops and capture the planet."

Dooku shook his head. "The objective isn't to capture the planet. That will never happen. We want to do enough damage to cripple the Republic. And you know what that means, correct?"

"But, of course, my lord. I will contact you when I have landed."

* * *

><p>Finding the battle wasn't that hard for Mace Windu. He steered his commandeered droid fighter towards the spot where most of the landing craft and fighter escorts were headed. It was an empty landing platform used for storing large cruisers. Several MP-CT walkers and clone troopers had been dispatched in the area.<p>

Since an MP-CT-1 had been successful in the recent assault on Nute Gunray's palace, more, newer versions were developed. Unlike the original, the new MP-CTs had only one middle section and six legs, though they all still had shield generators that protected against small projectiles, and eight front- and rear-mounted laser cannons. The MP-CT-2s were designed for attack purposes, so the middle section sported two side-mounted missile launchers and top-mounted artillery cannon. The MP-CT-3s contained sensors, medical droids, and tools that made the tank a mobile command center. The MP-CT-4s housed a brigade of clone troopers.

The MP-CT-2s were firing their artillery cannons at the craft. But the cannons would eventually overheat and the fighters would destroy the walkers, and there would be nothing to stop the droids from marching on the city.

At the precise moment, Mace let go of the vulture droid and let it crash. The Jedi, meanwhile, landed on a sloped building and slid down the wall, landing in front of the clones. One clone walked up to him and saluted. "Good to see you, General."

Mace nodded. "What's the situation, commander?"

"The droids are attempting to use this platform as a staging area for their attack. We're trying to defend it as best we can, but we're waiting for reinforcements."

Suddenly, a clone yelled, "Bombers, incoming!"

Everyone looked up to see hyena droid bombers flying towards them. They were larger versions of vulture droids with two heads; one on top, and one underneath to drop bombs on the enemy. Everyone scrambled out of the way as one bomber dropped its payload on one of the MP-CTs.

The walker exploded with a brilliant flash of light, throwing burning pieces of metal everywhere. When Mace stood up, and the smoke cleared, he saw that three craft had landed and were opening their deployment doors. "They've landed! Prepare for battle!"

The first vehicles to exit the craft were Multi Troop Transports. They were large, bulky vehicles that carried over a hundred battle droids on deployment racks. Some had been retrofitted to carry fifty super battle droids. In addition to soldiers, the MTTs also contained a transport vehicle and a dozen droidekas.

Following those were Armored Assault Tanks with rectangular bodies on semi-spherical repulsorlifts, two pairs of side-mounted laser cannons, and a top-mounted heavy turret. They were followed by giant three-legged octuptarra combat droids, fitted with three laser cannons at the base of its rotating spherical head. Next came hailfire droids with two large hoop wheels and thirty missile launchers. And the last vehicles to exit were crab droids, named for their shape.

"We can't hold against a force _that_ large!" exclaimed the clone commander.

But Mace, with a determined expression on his face, activated his purple lightsaber and ordered, "All troops, fire on those tanks!"

The remaining clone troopers and MP-CTs fired their blasters on the MTTs and AATs. But as more enemy tanks came, there was less that could be done to prevent the mass deployment.

* * *

><p>On the bridge of the <em>Invisible Hand<em>, General Grievous surveyed a holomap displaying the landing site. He then ordered, "Have all troop carriers halt and begin deployment. The tanks will form a protective shield around the droids while they activate."

* * *

><p>On Coruscant the Droid Army did just that. While the AATs continued forward while firing at the clones, the MTTs stopped and their front hatches opened. A large deployment rack, carrying the battle droids and super battle droids, extended outward and dropped the folded soldiers on the ground. And, finally, after receiving a signal from the control ship in space, the droids stood up and marched forward, weapons loaded.<p>

As the battle droids walked through the tank lines, they began firing at the clones. Mace Windu used his lightsaber to deflect as many shots as he could, but, still, he watched as clones fell around him. The MP-CTs were still shooting at the AATs and octuptarra tri-droids, but for every five or six tanks, one walker was destroyed.

The clone commander next to Mace panted as he attempted to speak and shoot at the same time. "Sir, it's… it's no use. We can't… aargh! We can't stop them. We need to retreat!"

Mace shook his head. "Master Yoda will be here soon with reinforcements. Let's see if we can't make it easier for him!"

The droids continued to march until they were right on top of the clones. Soon, Mace had to slice as well as deflect, the clones had to wrestle the droids away, and the MP-CTs had to fire their four primary laser cannons at them. As Mace performed a twirl-jump to slice the heads off of four battle droids, he muttered, "You hear me, Master? Hurry up."

Then the droidekas came. About twenty of them, rolling into the battle, and then unfolding to become heavy weapons platforms with deflector shields. Unlike battle droids, their two twin blasters were much larger, and their shields were strong enough to deflect blaster bolts.

Mace deflected the bolts, but the commander was shot and killed. Then more shots hit a damaged MP-CT and caused an explosion that knocked Mace to the ground. When he got up, he noticed one of the walker's round footpads had broken off. This gave him an idea.

He used the Force to lift the foot and spin it in midair. Then, when it was rotating fast enough, he threw it at a line of droidekas. The foot successfully penetrated the shields and sliced five droidekas in half. But there were still more droids and tanks on the battlefield, and the clones were vastly outnumbered.

Then giant explosions began to pepper the field of advancing troops, throwing droid and tank parts into the air. Mace looked up and saw several LAAT gunships and dropships flying into the battle, launching rockets at the droids.

"Finally!" exclaimed Mace. "The reinforcements are here!"

The dropships set more MP-CTs, two-legged AT-AP walkers and RX-200 tanks down on the battlefield. The gunships set down and the side doors opened to reveal more clones with more weapons. Also, out of one of the gunships, came Master Yoda.

"Glad to see you could make it," greeted Mace.

Yoda stumped up to stand next to his fellow Jedi and replied, "Sent Master Tiin to lead the space defense, I have. Also, Agen Kolar, Stass Allie and Kit Fisto, commanding the battle in other areas, they are. Shaak Ti and Eeth Koth, to defend the Senate Building, they went."

"So, the battle is under control?" asked Mace.

"Yes, but fight, we must." Yoda reached into his cloak and pulled out his green lightsaber. "For the Republic… attack!"

* * *

><p>When Ahsoka finally arrived at the Jedi Temple, she landed her speeder and ran to the hanger. Alarms were blaring at maximum volume. Jedi and clones were boarding gunships and starfighters. In the hustle, Ahsoka found Captain Rex. "Captain, what's going on?"<p>

Rex replied, "Scans show there are droid fighters on their way to attack the temple!"

Ahsoka gasped. "We have to stop them." She looked around for a fighter she could use, but they were all being taken. But there was one ship left that Ahsoka recognized; it was the J-16 Wampa Hunter.

Ahsoka remembered that her master – no, correction – Anakin Skywalker – had engineered the J-16 Wampa Hunter using spare parts, and lent it to a Jedi strike team on their mission to General Grievous' base on Kashyyyk. After Grievous was defeated, the ship was brought back to the temple hanger to be repaired.

The J-16 had several parts replaced, and much of the green paint had peeled off, but it would still work fine. But Ahsoka would need a copilot. "Why don't you help me out?" She ran towards the ship and climbed into the cockpit. Rex followed her and sat in the copilot's seat behind her.

Ahsoka closed the cockpit canopy and started the J-16's engines. The ship lifted off from the floor, the landing gear retracted, and the four S-foils at the tips of the wings opened for flight mode. Ahsoka pulled the throttle gently and the ship flew out of the hanger and into the sky.

And just in time! As soon as they were in the open droid fighters swarmed towards the temple! "Here we go, boys!" Ahsoka pushed a button on the throttle and the dual-laser cannons on the top and bottom of each wing fired. Two hyena bombers and a tri-fighter were suddenly engulfed in flames.

The other droid fighters broke formation and flew in circles around the temple, firing at whatever they could. But the ARC-170 starfighters could hide on the opposite side of the temple, waiting for droids to make another pass, and then fire at them before they knew what hit them.

Rex, in the copilot's seat, tapped enemy icons on his navigation screen and pressed a button to fire the rotating missile launchers on each wing. Each projectile would follow its own target until it collided with its engines, destroying them.

The droids, however, attempted to lose the missiles by weaving between the temple's five tall spires. A few times, the missiles scraped the spires, blowing off pieces of metal. Once, a chunk knocked the wing off of a bomber, and as it spiraled to the ground, its bombs broke loose and fell on the temple roof, blowing a gaping hole through it.

Inside, the temple shook in response to the impact. Then, super battle droids fitted with jetpacks flew in through the hole. The enemy was inside the Jedi Temple!

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala ran through the halls of the Senate Building, with Jar Jar Binks and C-3PO hurrying in her wake. The halls were crowded with senators and guards running to their escape ships. Along the way, Padmé ran into Bail Organa and Mon Mothma.<p>

"Padmé!" exclaimed Mon. "Thank goodness you are safe."

"Yes, but are you okay?" asked Padmé.

Bail opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted when Jar Jar caught up, panting with his long tongue sticking out of his mouth. "Meesa… no runnin so… in… longo time. Meesa… got to be… exa-seizing muy."

Bail shook his head disapprovingly and continued, "I've informed Captain Antilles to ready my ship."

Padmé replied, "Captain Typho is on his way to pick me up if you need a transport."

Bail nodded. "Thank you. We'd better hurry!"

The three senators began running again, and Jar Jar stumbled after them. "Aah! Noah gain! Why are weesa runny?"

C-3PO, meanwhile was trudging along as fast as his limited joints would allow. "Wait! Come back!"

Jar Jar looked back, still running, and called, "Hurry up, Threeso! Or yousa gonna be gooberfish goo!" When C-3PO didn't hurry, Jar Jar ran back to him. He ducked his long neck through a doorway and saw and maintenance cart. Among the useful items on it was an oilcan. "Ooh!" Jar Jar picked up the can and carried it over to C-3PO. "Methinks yousa needen some oily!"

"Thank you, Jar Jar, but that's not the problem…" began C-3PO.

"Meesa fixen!" Before C-3PO could protest, Jar Jar began pouring oil on the protocol droids legs.

"Good heavens! What are you doing, you stupid creature!" C-3PO tried to move out of the way, but Jar Jar continued to pour oil.

"But meesa helping yousa!" The more they struggled, the more oil was spilled on C-3PO's gold plating, Jar Jar's senatorial robes, and the clean floor. Finally, the can was empty. "Oops! No more oily!" Jar Jar tossed the empty can over his head, and gasped as heard the angry shouts of an alien on whose head the can landed.

C-3PO looked down at himself and the floor. "Now look what you've done! You've ruined my coverings! And the floor…"

Jar Jar surveyed the mess and nodded. "Oh, dissen maxi big messy." Then he looked back towards the cart and saw a dual-action vacuum cleaner with a mop attachment. Then his eyes widened in their eye-stalks. "Meesa have-en idea!"

"I think we've all had quite enough of your ideas, Jar Jar," commented C-3PO.

Jar Jar ran up to the vacuum cleaner and studied it curiously. Next to the on/off switch was a power dial. Jar Jar figured, "Maxi mess needs maxi power," and turned it to the maximum setting, highlighted in red.

"What?" gasped C-3PO.

Jar Jar flipped the switch and the machine roared to life. As he grabbed the hose, Jar Jar was whisked off his feet as the hose began pulling the entire vacuum cleaner forward at high speed. And, unfortunately, C-3PO was standing in its path! The poor droid was knocked into the air and pressed against Jar Jar, and they both flew down the hallway.

Any passerby would be befuddled by a Gungan and a protocol droid riding a vacuum cleaner, and annoyed by the ruckus they caused. Over the cleaner's loud hum, one could hear Jar Jar's "Whoo-hoo! Yee-haw!" and C-3PO's "Oh, it's a nightmare! I want to go home! Aah!"

Finally, the ride ended when Jar Jar forgot to duck through one of the doorways and his head collided with the doorway. He let go of the hose and he and C-3PO tumbled heads over heels. When Jar Jar recovered from the hit, he pulled his earflap off of his eyes, which instantly widened in shock. The vacuum cleaner had crashed into a very angry droideka!

At the sight of the battle droids, Jar Jar screamed and ran, C-3PO once again trying to catch up.

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, and Mon Mothma exited the Senate Building just as Captain Typho arrived in an airspeeder. "Senators, come quickly!"<p>

Bail and Mon eagerly climbed into the speeder, but Padmé hesitated for a second and looked around. "Where's Jar Jar? I thought he was right behind us."

"You know how distracted he gets," answered Mon.

Padmé gasped. "What if he's in trouble? We should go look for him!"

Bail shook his head. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for him. We need to escape."

"Milady," pleaded Typho, "please. We must hurry. We'll do what we can for Representative Binks. Now get in."

Padmé looked back at the building, and then sighed as she reluctantly climbed into the speeder.

As the speeder flew through the Coruscant sky, Padmé was sickened by the sight of the battle. The speeder rocked and lurched this way and that as Typho tried to dodge the droid fighters and landing craft. The marvelous skyscrapers were on fire, and the smoke turned the sky from bright blue to malevolent gray. Civilian airspeeders were being shot out of the sky, and exploding in balls of flame. Battle droids marched through the streets, massacring clone troopers and innocent people alike.

All the while Padmé was wondering how and why this could happen. She had always doubted she would ever have an experience worse than that of the War of Naboo, nearly thirteen years ago, but not even that made her this sick. The world became blurry through teary eyes, which relieved Padmé partly; she didn't want to watch an instant of this.

Then the speeder rocked as a blaster bolt hit one of the engines. Padmé felt the vehicle take a steep dive, and she heard the others yelling. She knew the crash was coming, and she hoped it would kill her.

Then the world went dark.

* * *

><p>General Grievous had left his chair and was walking around the bridge of the <em>Invisible Hand<em>. When he looked out the viewport, he could see the space battle unfolding around the ship, and there were several command stations throughout the bridge, displaying holomap representations of the battle on the planet. He had also sent down probe droids that provided continuous video feedback. That way Grievous could watch everything at once.

Grievous couldn't help but feel like he was living in luxury. All of this was his doing, and no one else's. Darth Sidious had entrusted this job to him. And now Grievous could sit back, relax, and bathe in the satisfaction of the thousands of lives being destroyed by his efforts. And the best part; the _Invisible Hand_'s shields were nearly impenetrable, and its hundreds of turbolasers defended it from enemy ships.

Yes, this was perhaps Grievous' best day ever.

But the battle wasn't proceeding as needed. The Jedi had amassed a large defense much quicker than expected. Sidious promised they would be completely off-guard! Nearly twenty to thirty landing craft had been shot down before the droids even set foot on the planet surface. The Republic ships were tearing the frigates apart, and attempting to clear a path to the control ships and the _Hand_. And those incompetent droids landed in the most rural parts of Coruscant, and had to fight through clones and Jedi to get to their targets! And, from what Grievous heard, there were civilians joining the fight! He couldn't stand the thought of powerless, poverty-stricken pawns dominating his army!

Grievous' enraged thoughts became so consuming, he roared angrily as loud as his artificial voice box would allow, startling everyone in the room. "This battle is a failure! The planet is resisting us, we're nowhere close to obtaining our target, and we're being pushed back!"

Lushros Dofine stammered, "B-but, my lord… we are doing everything… we…" His voice died away as the monstrous cyborg leaned over him.

"I do not take kindly to failure, Captain," warned Grievous, his yellow eyes narrow behind his white mask. He rose to his full height and stalked to one of the holomaps. He pressed a button to zoom out. No doubt about it; the droids were being pushed _away_ from their destination.

"Have the fleet protect the control ships. We need those droids online. In the meantime, it's time for some superior firepower. Send out the… special units." He cackled at his genius until his laughter turned into a coughing fit.

* * *

><p>Back on Coruscant, the battle was in full swing. The Separatist droid forces were marching towards the line of Republic clone forces, which were fighting back fiercely. Mace Windu and Yoda were using their lightsabers to deflect blaster shots back at the droids.<p>

An octuptarra tri-droid fired a rocket at an MP-CT-3, launching it into the air, but two MP-CT-2s responded with two missiles each. The missiles collided right at the section where the large spherical head joined the legs. The legs fell first, crushing several droids and an ATT, and then the head fell separately. Then the two Jedi, reading each other's thoughts, used the Force to roll the head backwards over even more droids. The Jedi continued pushing until the head rolled right up against one of the landing craft, plugging the deployment doorway.

"This is it!" yelled Mace. "All troops, advance!" Upon his order, all of the clone troopers and Republic tanks charged at the remaining droids, firing everything they had. Mace ran up to a super battle droid and used the Force to pick it up and pull wires on the inside to make it fire the droid's two repeating wrist blasters at other droids. Then he threw it at a droideka.

Yoda, meanwhile, was using the droids as stepping stones through the battlefield. Each droid he jumped on was decapitated with his lightsaber. Then he leapt high into the air and landed on a hailfire droid, which was launching missiles at the Republic tanks. He stuck his lightsaber into the path of one of the hoop wheels, shredding it and causing the droid to fall on one side. The other wheel was still rotating, causing the droid to turn in circles until Yoda sliced through the wheel, making the droid bounce. Finally, he stabbed the droid's brain, disabling it, and used the Force to throw its remaining missiles at Separatist tanks.

Then a series of explosions resounded from inside the landing craft that was plugged by the tri-droid head. Soon after, the head exploded, launching pieces of metal into the battlefield, some crushing the clones. When the smoke cleared, the Jedi saw what had blown it up; a super tank!

Super tanks were first used during the Second Battle of Geonosis, and were successful in obliterating most of the Republic's heavy artillery. The repulsorlift tank was roughly the same shape as an MTT, only half the size. On each side was a set of twin blaster cannons situated at the front, and another turreted pair in the center of each side. Its main weapons, however, were a pair of warhead launchers on top, and it was protected by ray shields strong enough to withstand anything as powerful as artillery fire.

Three of these tanks hovered out of each of the three landing craft landed at the edge of the field. But they were followed by the three DDTs! Defoliator Deployment Tanks were shaped like AATs, only they had extra reinforcement in the back to hold the oversized defoliator launcher on top. Defoliator capsules were capable of incinerating organic matter, while leaving machines unharmed.

Mace's eyes widened. There was no defense against this force. The DDTs' range would cover the entire battlefield, so there was no place for the clones to run away to. He figured they would be safe in and on top of the tanks, but the super tanks would easily destroy them.

The super tanks formed a semi-circle around the DDTs, like the AATs had done to protect the MTTs. Mace knew that they couldn't destroy the DDTs without first going through the super tanks, which were invincible.

Mace ran up to Yoda. "We're trapped!" He scowled. "Leave it to Grievous to use this strategy."

Yoda closed his eyes and began to meditate. "Hmmm, worry, you do. A victory for Grievous, this is not. Destroy these weapons, we will, like last time, they were."

Mace thought for a while. How were the tanks destroyed before? On the battle of Maridun, Anakin Skywalker and Aayla Secura set up shield generators to protect the Lurmen village from the defoliator. Then Anakin destroyed the tank with his lightsaber. "Do we have any shield generators?"

Yoda nodded with approval. "Stored in the tanks, they may be."

"Incoming!" screamed a clone. One of the DDTs had fired a defoliator capsule. All of the clones were running back to the trench line as fast as they could. Mace ran after them, but Yoda stayed where he was.

"Master!" called Mace. "Over here! Hurry!"

But Yoda did not move. Instead, he watched as the capsule landed over thirty meters in front of him, and explode into a giant ring of fire. The ring expanded over the battlefield, engulfing everything in its path. Yoda closed his eyes, held out his arms, and used the Force to divert the fire away from him, and leaving a gap where the clones could be safe.

When the fire subsided, all of the droids and tanks were still intact, but as were pieces of clone armor – without wearers. Mace turned from the new cemetery to the troops. "Get some shield generators out here! We'll need them to protect us from those tanks!" The clones affirmed their understanding and scrambled into the MP-CTs to unload the shield generators.

Meanwhile, the rest of the droid forces continued their attack. Two of the super tanks fired their warhead launchers, and an MP-CT-2 and two MP-CT-4s exploded. Mace and Yoda reactivated their lightsabers and fought back. All the while, Mace was thinking. On Geonosis, Anakin and Luminara Unduli destroyed the super tanks by blowing up the bridge they were crossing. Also, Barriss Offee commandeered a tank by cutting through the hatch with her lightsaber.

That was it! "The tanks are immune to _most_ weapons. Our lightsabers can cut through them!"

Yoda chuckled. "See? Outthink the droids, we can!" Then, with a smile, he leapt up on top of an AAT and cut through the top hatch. He used the Force to throw the droid pilot out onto the ground, and then he and Mace took the controls.

Back at the Republic line, the clones had set up two shield generators and were getting ready to activate them. Another defoliator capsule was launched, along with another set of warheads. But this time, two large, bubble-like energy shields covered the MP-CTs, and the missiles merely bounced off the shields. But the battle droids and tanks could pass through the shield, and that's what they began to do.

Mace and Yoda drove their tank up to the unsuspecting Super tanks and, when they were close enough, jumped out and sliced into two separate tanks. The droid pilots were caught off guard and sliced neatly in half. Yoda turned his tank around and targeted the DDTs, blowing holes through them with the tank's blaster weapons, and launching warheads at the landing craft. Then he hopped out and sliced through the remaining super tanks.

Mace chased the droid forces advancing on the clones in his tank. He fired the blasters at the battle droids, who soon realized that this tank wasn't on their side. Some of them turned around and tried to shoot the tank, and some of the Separatist tanks joined in, but the super tank was invincible. Mace finished off those droids and the nearby smaller tanks, and then he launched several warheads at a tri-droid, blowing it inside-out.

The droids and tanks that made it behind the shield were quickly destroyed by the clone troopers and MP-CTs. Within minutes, there were no enemies left. Mace and Yoda returned to the front lines to regroup with their brave troops.

Mace surveyed the wreckage-strewn battlefield with a winning smile. "I don't believe it. We actually won."

Yoda picked up his gnarled gimer stick and leaned on it. "Hmmm, indeed. But of one larger battle, only one round, this was."

"Still, we've won against almost impossible odds. That is something to celebrate."

"Told you, I did. The advantage we have. Our home, Coruscant is. Defend it, we will, at all costs."

Mace frowned. "I'm sorry, Master. I must admit I was convinced we would lose."

Yoda sighed sadly. "Hmmm. As was I. If blind, we are becoming, in danger, is the Jedi Order."


	14. Opportunity of Coruscant

Opportunity of Coruscant (Ep. #14)

* * *

><p>Battle on Coruscant! Separatist leader General Grievous has launched a massive full-scale invasion on the capitol planet of the Republic. With hundreds of battle cruisers, thousands of fighters and tanks, and millions of battle droids, the few Jedi and clone troopers on-planet are quickly overwhelmed.<p>

What the Jedi don't know, however, is that the battle has been engineered by the secretive Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, who plots to take over the galaxy. And, as always, war creates opportunities for criminal minds….

* * *

><p>On the bridge of his flagship, the <em>Invisible Hand<em>, General Grievous was listening to a report by the holograms of the battle droid commanders. "What is the status of the battle?" he wheezed.

One of the droids replied, "One of our main attack groups was destroyed by two Jedi, but the other two have broken the clone lines and are pressing towards the Senate district."

Grievous coughed. "Good. Report back to me when you have taken the Senate Building."

* * *

><p>Darth Sidious was still keen on destroying the Jedi and taking over the galaxy. And he knew he was getting closer to that pivotal moment. The Battle of Coruscant was planned by him. It was his intention to use the battle to bring the Republic to its knees, and leave an opening for him.<p>

But, as he surveyed the battlefields, he knew the droid forces wouldn't be enough. He needed more help. And thankfully, he knew just where to get it.

* * *

><p>Renowned bounty hunter Cad Bane lived in the slums of Coruscant, like most other criminals. He was currently locked inside his kitchenette, hoping to avoid the battle that was raging outside. He only hoped his starfighter was okay.<p>

Then, his holotransmitter beeped. He pressed the button to activate it and he was surprised by the person who appeared. "Well, well. Didn't expect to hear from you again."

Darth Sidious chuckled. "You always had a sense of humor about you. I am calling because I need the help of what's left of my volunteer army."

Bane sat down. "I'm listening."

"The Separatists have launched an invasion on Coruscant."

Bane scowled. "I noticed."

"I want you to go to the Senate Building, and wipe out anyone inside."

"Even the senators?"

Sidious smiled underneath his hood. "Yes. Wipe them out. All of them."

* * *

><p>Senator Padmé Amidala opened her eyes. She realized that she was in a dark room. As her eyes adjusted, the silhouette of a person came into view.<p>

"Captain!" called the woman. "Padmé's awake!"

Padmé tried to sit up, but she fell back down. Once everything had stopped spinning, she groaned, "What happened?"

Senator Mon Mothma replied, "That was a very nasty crash. We were all very worried about you."

Padmé thought back and remembered. She was in a speeder trying to escape the battle, and they were shot down. Then she remembered something else. "Bail! Is he alright? What about Captain Typho?"

"They're fine," responded Mon calmly. "They're outside holding off the battle droids. We wanted to wait until you were awake before setting out."

Ah, yes. They were going to escape in Bail Organa's starship. Padmé struggled to stand up. "Well, we'd better get going."

Mon nodded. "I agree." They both stood and left the shed in which they had been hiding. Padmé saw the wrecked speeder nearby, leaning against a building. She noticed that they were in the Coruscant city streets. All around, there were battle droids and clone troopers shooting at each other. Some civilians had joined the battle and were fighting the droids, too. Nearby, Bail and Typho had found cover behind some crates and were armed with blaster pistols.

"How are we going to get out of here?" asked Padmé.

Bail replied, "Some bus and taxi drivers are being kind enough to ferry people to safety. We need to get to the other side of the plaza."

Padmé nodded. "Fine. I just hope Jar Jar's okay."

* * *

><p>Outside the Senate Building, the Gungan representative, Jar Jar Binks, was running for his life. Upon leaving the building, he ran into several battle droids, which had been chasing and shooting at him since he accidently destroyed a droideka – with a vacuum cleaner.<p>

Jar Jar's arms and ear flaps flailed wildly in the air behind him as he ran away from the droids and their blasters. Between his blubbering, he yelled, "Hurry up, Threeso! Run!"

Behind him, Senator Amidala's protocol droid, C-3PO, was trudging behind as fast as his joints would allow. "Wait! Come back! Don't leave me here!"

As Jar Jar ran, he saw a recessed doorway against the building. He skidded to a halt and ducked through the door. As he looked around, he realized it was an armory. The room was small and windowless, numerous blaster weapons were hooked on the walls, and crates full of thermal detonators and ammo packs were stacked all over the floor. But there were no other doors. Jar Jar was trapped!

Outside, the battle droids were gaining on poor C-3PO. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "There's been some horrible mistake! I'm not programmed for attack!" Then he screamed as a super battle droid picked him up and threw him to the ground. "Oh, not again!"

When the droids arrived at the armory, they found that Jar Jar had locked the door. One of them scratched its metal head and said, "This door's locked, move on to the next one?"

The commander shook its head. "Negative. We have to destroy any threat to us. General's orders. Now get this door open."

The first droid nodded. "Roger, roger." The droid pulled the cover off of the control panel and began to fiddle with the wires.

"Uh, this could take a while."

"Don't worry. He has nowhere else to run."

* * *

><p>Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Yoda were riding an LAAT gunship to the next battle site. Along the way, they were in a meeting with the holograms of several other Jedi. The first was Kit Fisto, an amphibious Nautolan with green skin, large, unblinking eyes, and numerous head-tresses capable of sensing another being's emotions. The next was Stass Allie, a brown-skinned human wearing a Tholothian headdress. Accompanying her was Agen Kolar, a brown-skinned Zabrak with long, black hair. Another hologram showed Saesee Tiin in the seat of his Jedi interceptor. The final Jedi in the meeting was Shaak Ti.<p>

Kit spoke first. "I'm afraid my forces have been forced to retreat, and the droids are pressing towards the Jedi Temple. I am on my way there now."

Agen nodded. "Our troops are gone, too. It looks like the droids are on their way to the Senate district."

Saesee grunted as he pulled his interceptor into a steep climb. "We have enough cruisers up here, but all the same, I could use a hand."

"I'll get there as soon as I can," assured Agen.

Shaak reported, "The Senate building has already been stormed. I am defending it to the best of my abilities. Master Koth, unfortunately, has died."

"Would you like some help?" asked Stass.

Shaak nodded. "That would be most appreciated, Master Allie."

Mace sighed sadly. "It looks like we may not survive this after all."

Yoda, his eyes closed, shook his head. "Hmmm, a disturbance in the Force, I sense. A greater enemy soon will arrive."

* * *

><p>Deep in space, a modified <em>Firespray<em>-class patrol-and-attack ship flew through hyperspace. It was _Slave I_, piloted by young bounty hunter Boba Fett. After he renounced Darth Sidious' private army and left Republic custody, he began roaming around the galaxy, looking for jobs to do. He needed to keep moving; he didn't want Sidious or his bounty hunters coming after him.

Besides, he had a reputation to uphold. He was known for his merciless, tough-as-a-rock nature. But, deep down inside of him, he was a kind being with a troubled past. He never would have known his true colors if it hadn't been for Ahsoka Tano.

Ahsoka was the Jedi Padawan who captured him, and later befriended him. The more time they had spent together, the more they understood their true feelings for each other. Thanks to her, Boba learned how to love and be loved. He made a priority of visiting her to thank her for all she did for him….

Suddenly, _Slave I_'s transmitter beeped, indicating that someone was calling. Boba answered the call excitedly. Maybe someone had a job for him! But when the hologram of the caller appeared, Boba wished he hadn't.

Boba tried to cut off the transmission before it could be traced, but Darth Sidious held up a restraining hand. "I do not aim to have you killed, Fett. I am calling to give you a second chance."

Boba's face relaxed and he pulled his hand away from the switch. "What do you want?"

Sidious explained, "I am offering you a full pardon from your betrayal. There is currently a battle on Coruscant. I want you to go and drop seismic charges at the prescribed locations, the coordinates of which I am sending to you. But, that is only your secondary objective. Your job is simple. Your Jedi friend, I want you to eliminate her."

Boba's mouth hung open in shock. Kill Ahsoka? He couldn't do that! Not after all she's done for him! "And if I fail?"

Sidious' mouth twisted into a scowl. "Then I will place a bounty on your head. A bounty so large, you will never be able to be seen again for the rest of your life! Do you understand?"

Boba was torn between his reputation and his inner feelings. If he killed Ahsoka, his soul would be destroyed. But if he didn't, _he_ would be destroyed. Despite the thoughts swimming through his head, he nodded and replied, "Yes, I understand."

When the hologram winked off, Boba let out a heavy exhale. He thought for a minute, and then picked up his Mandalorian helmet, staring into its eyes. "Dad, I need your help. I don't know what I should do."

He heard Jango Fett's voice in his head, repeating a word of advice he had given to his son long ago. "The point of being a bounty hunter is to survive. Don't worry about the law, or any moral conflicts. Do the job right, and you will be redeemed."

That's when Boba made his decision. He deactivated _Slave I_'s hyperdrive and reprogrammed the nav-computer to chart a course to Coruscant. Once he had the coordinates, he pulled a lever, and the field of stars outside the cockpit turned into white streaks of light, then he jumped into hyperspace.

* * *

><p>Around the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, a battle was raging. Separatist droid fighters swarmed around the building, firing at it. At the same time, super battle droids with jetpacks flew into a hole in the temple ceiling. The Republic had formed a small defense, and ARC-170 starfighters were shooting at the fighters, while clone troopers and Jedi inside the temple held off the battle droids.<p>

Leading the fighter defense was Padawan Ahsoka Tano. She was in the cockpit of the J-16 Wampa hunter, with clone Captain Rex as the copilot. As the pilot, Ahsoka could fly the ship and fire the laser cannons, while Rex could navigate and launch missiles at the evasive droid fighters.

As he saw an ARC-170 being blown up by a vulture droid, Rex commented, "I think we could use a few more pilots on our side."

Ahsoka agreed. "Too bad Boba left. He could've helped us." In truth, Ahsoka felt the same way about Boba as he did her. Whenever he was around, he inspired a certain confidence in Ahsoka, giving her an edge in combat. She wished he was on Coruscant with her now….

A nearby explosion rocked the ship violently. "Whoa!" exclaimed Rex. "What was that?"

Ahsoka looked around for the source of the torpedo, and then pointed. "Death Watch!"

Dozens of Mandalorian starfighters had joined the battle, piloted by members of the Death Watch, a group of Mandalorian terrorists. Unbeknownst to the Jedi, they had been sent into the battle as part of Darth Sidious' private army. As the fighters swarmed the skies, soldiers in Mandalorian armor jumped out and floated down using their jetpacks.

"What are they doing here?" asked Rex.

"I don't know, but defeating them won't be too hard. Their leader, Pre Viszla, was killed by Mast- Anakin," Ahsoka corrected herself.

But then others came out of the fighters. They weren't living beings, or even droids. They were skeletons animated by the Dark Side of the Force!

Rex groaned. "Seriously? _Those_ again? Is everything coming back to haunt us?"

* * *

><p>Back at the Senate Building, the battle droids had almost cut through the door that Jar Jar Binks ran into. The droid holding the fusion cutter droned, "Almost… got it… there!" The door broke free and clattered to the ground.<p>

As the droids began to march inside, a cheerful voice shouted, "Hello, boyos!" Then the room was illuminated with blue laserfire. Jar Jar Binks had picked up a Z-6 rotary cannon and was trying to use it to hold off the battle droids.

Unfortunately, as with most machines he operated, he lost control, and the blaster was firing every which way and that, tearing the droids apart from different angles.

Soon, the weapon ran out of ammo, and all of the droids had been destroyed. Jar Jar sighed in relief and walked back outside. He called out, "Threeso? Threeeeeeeesoooooo!"

"I'm over here!" snapped a whiny voice. Jar Jar turned and saw C-3PO lying on the ground, struggling to stand up.

Jar Jar ran to help him up and exclaimed giddily, "Lookie, lookie! Meesa blasten da droids!"

C-3PO mumbled, "Well, I suppose I should be grateful for that."

Jar Jar smiled. That was the first time C-3PO had actually complemented him that day.

"Well, well," growled a voice from behind them. "What do we have here?"

C-3PO gasped. "Oh my stars! Cad Bane!"

Cad Bane chuckled. "So, you've heard of me, eh?" He tipped his wide-brimmed brown hat. "I was hoping to find people of more importance."

Jar Jar stood as tall and proud as he could. "Meesa culled Jar Jar Binks. Meesa important Gungan Representative."

Bane laughed. "You really think that some amphibian can scare me? Tell me, where are the other Senators?"

"Meesa never talk! Yousa no scaren meesa!" said Jar Jar bravely.

Bane smiled deviously. "Really?" He quickly drew his twin blaster pistols and began firing at Jar Jar, who began to scream and run around. Bane laughed and chased Jar Jar. The Gungan leapt over a tall pile of crates and disappeared, the bounty hunter giving chase with his jet boots.

C-3PO, left alone, shuddered. "Oh, dear. Jar Jar is going to get himself killed."

* * *

><p>Padmé Amidala took careful aim and fired. Her shot hit a battle droid squarely in the chest. The droid groaned and fell backwards against a super battle droid. "Get off me!" growled the latter, throwing the former to the ground.<p>

"Good shot, Padmé," complemented Bail Organa. He fired a shot from his own blaster and another droid's head disappeared.

Padmé smiled. "Not bad yourself." She, Bail, Mon Mothma, and Captain Typho continued to shoot down battle droids on their way down the street to the taxi drop-off point. They were glad that they weren't alone; several Coruscanti had also taken up arms and were fighting for their lives.

As they turned a corner, Bail pointed. "There it is!" Four blocks down, some busses and air taxis were parked, loading civilian passengers. "We can make it!" The four began to run the rest of the way. As they drew closer, Padmé's heart began to race. They were saved!

Suddenly, Typho grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back just before a large metal capsule bounced off the ground. Before Padmé could question what it was, the capsule turned into a blue ball of energy in midair and unleashed a seismic blast that tore through the buildings, showering the people in rubble.

When Padmé looked up, she saw what had dropped the seismic charge; _Slave I_! What was Boba Fett doing here? And why was he destroying the city? But she didn't have time to dwell on this, for the path to the drop-off point was completely blocked by rubble.

"We'll have to go around," said Mon. "This way!" She led them back up the street and then turned into the nearest side street. But their path was blocked by a vulture droid walking towards them!

"Let's try the other way!" suggested Typho, pointing at the opposite street. They ran that way, but another vulture droid landed just when they reached the intersection. They turned back towards the way they came, but it, too, was occupied by a vulture droid.

With droids on three surrounding sides, and the fourth side blocked by the rubble barricade, the people were trapped! The droids opened fire, and a few civilians fought back. One man shot the middle vulture droid in the right eye, causing it to shatter. But the droid responded by shooting that man in the heart, killing him. A five-year-old girl screamed, "Papa!" and ran out to him, be she, too, was shot.

Padmé gasped as the child died. She joined the group of shooters firing at that droid, and it finally succumbed to the lasers two deaths later. But the other two droids would be turning the corner any second now, and the senators would be in its sights.

But then an LAAT gunship flying overhead fired its laser cannons and destroyed the droids. Mon exhaled. "That was too close."

"Let's hurry," said Bail, "before any more droids come." The senators ran through the streets around the barricade until they finally came to a parked taxi. They hopped in and Bail directed the driver to his ship.

As they took off to safety, Padmé took another long look at the battle. She wondered whether it would end happily.

* * *

><p>Inside the Jedi Temple, super battle droids were marching through the hallways, shooting at the Jedi and clone troopers inside. The Republic forces defended themselves easily, but the droids just kept coming through the hole a hyena bomber had created in the roof.<p>

As the droids opened a door into the next room, they were met with a charming smile... and a lightsaber! Kit Fisto sliced through the droids and deflected their blaster shots, leading the other Jedi and clones through the halls towards the source of the droids.

When they arrived at the hole, however, the droids had stopped coming. The skeletons had taken their place! "Blast them!" ordered Kit. The clones fired their blaster rifles at the skeletons, while the Jedi ran forward and sliced through them. But no matter how much they cut them up, the skeletons simply reassembled themselves with the Force.

"How do we destroy them?" asked a clone.

"We'll have to think of something," replied Kit. He began thinking. The skeletons were held together by the Force, hence, they could reassemble if they were broken. They would have to be completely destroyed. But how?

Then, a skeleton launched itself onto a Jedi Padawan. As he tried to fight his way free, the skeleton knocked his lightsaber out of his hand. Before it deactivated, however, it sliced through one of the stone pillars lining the hallway. The pillar broke and fell on top of one of the skeletons, crushing it.

That gave Kit an idea. He used the Force to roll the pillar back and forth over the skeleton, reducing its bones to dust. He smiled at the thought that came to him. "We need to lure them out of the temple and round them all up."

"Round them up?" repeated another Jedi. "How?"

"Why, you use the Force!" answered Kit, as though it were obvious. He lashed out with the Force to launch several skeletons out through the hole and throw them over the walls of the temple. He jumped out after them and slid down the steep-sloped walls.

As he slid, he activated his wristcom and called, "Master Windu? Do you copy?"

Mace Windu's voice replied, "Master Fisto, is there a problem?"

"I was wondering if you could capture one of those defoliator tanks and bring it to the Jedi Temple."

Mace sounded confused. "Sorry?"

Kit repeated, "Capture and bring a defoliator tank to the Jedi Temple."

"I suppose so, but why do you need it at the temple?"

"Let's just say, I have a plan." Kit turned off the wristcom and landed on the ground, using the Force to soften his impact. The skeletons, however, broke apart upon landing. Just as Kit had planned. He noticed with approval that the other Jedi had followed suit, and pretty soon, the temple courtyard was dominated by a pile of skeleton bones.

Kit ordered the other Jedi to "Keep fighting them! We need to keep them contained for as long as we can."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was completely confused. For some reason, all of these bounty hunters have joined the battle, plus the skeletons from Korriban. And they were all giving the J-16 Wampa Hunter a hard time. "I don't know how much longer the ship will last, Rex. We're losing power."<p>

In the back seat, Rex added, "We're almost out of missiles, too. And there's too much interference on the computer. An enemy could sneak up and attack us easily!"

* * *

><p>In the cockpit of <em>Slave I<em>, Boba Fett was becoming anxious. He was hoping he wouldn't have to find Ahsoka, but Darth Sidious was making him fly all over the city dropping the seismic charges. He could easily run into Ahsoka this way. Then he realized that was exactly what Sidious wanted. That cold-blooded Sith, he was trying to tear the galaxy apart from inside its inhabitants!

The next drop target on the list was near the Jedi Temple. Boba flew _Slave I_ in that direction; still hoping he wouldn't run into Ahsoka. When he arrived, he saw a battle between clone ARC-170 starfighters and vulture droids and tri-fighters.

Another ship in the battle caught his attention. It looked like a large mix between the old Jedi starfighters and the new interceptors. It was poorly constructed, and its green paint was peeling. Who would fly in a ship like that?

But a scan of the ship showed who the pilot was; Ahsoka. And Boba had hoped he wouldn't have to kill her. But a job's a job. So Boba took a deep breath, pulled the joystick to aim at Ahsoka, and pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>The J-16 Wampa Hunter shook as it was hit by blasterfire. "We're under attack!" exclaimed Ahsoka.<p>

"By who?" asked Rex.

Ahsoka pulled the ship around to face the shooter, and gasped when she saw him. "Boba!" _Slave I_ fired more lasers as it flew past. Ahsoka performed a flip and a half-barrel roll so that she was chasing her opponent. She began to return fire.

As Boba dodged Ahsoka's laser blasts, he muttered to himself, "Well, at least I can say I killed her in self-defense." Then he got an idea. He pressed several buttons on _Slave I_'s control console, which caused the engines to cut off. As Boba "floated" in midair, Ahsoka flew right towards him.

At the last second, though, she steered the J-16 away from Boba, but scraped against one of the buildings, chopping off one of the S-foil wings. The ship began to teeter until Ahsoka closed the remaining foils, leveling out.

"We can't fire missiles if the foils are closed," pointed out Rex.

"I don't want to destroy the ship," replied Ahsoka, "I want to shoot it down so I can find out what Boba's playing at."

_Slave I_ was now behind the J-16, firing whenever it could. The two ships wove in and out of the skyscrapers, using whatever tricks the pilots knew to try and lose each other. Finally, as Ahsoka rounded a large building, she pressed a button to reverse the engines, making the ship fly backwards.

Boba didn't see this move behind the building, and the two ships collided with each other, though still remained intact. Warning lights flashed and alarms blared as _Slave I_ spun out of control. Boba swore under his breath as he wrestled with the controls. When the ship finally leveled out, Boba was still panting heavily.

When he looked out the viewport at the J-16, he saw that it was upside-down; and its bottom-mounted shield generator was exposed. "Aha!" He quickly fired a single shot that collided with the generator, causing it to explode.

"The shields are gone!" reported Rex. "We're sitting ducks."

With the J-16 vulnerable, Boba pressed a button that opened the side hatches on _Slave I_, revealing two missile launchers. He hesitantly targeted his friend's ship and fired two missiles.

Ahsoka maneuvered the ship to try and outrun the missiles. But their speed was dropping, and the projectiles would soon catch up. "He's gone completely mad." Stated Ahsoka blatantly, just before the missiles collided with the engines.

The J-16 shook violently as it began its long descent towards the ground. Rex growled. "It's no use. The ship's done for."

Ahsoka thought quickly. "Then we'll have to bail out." She pressed several buttons and the cockpit detached from the rest of the doomed ship. While she flew the escape pod to a safe landing spot, the J-16 Wampa Hunter crashed into a skyscraper and exploded in a ball of flames.

* * *

><p>Cad Bane chased Jar Jar Binks through the Senate Building, firing shots whenever he could. Jar Jar's ear flaps and arms flailed wildly in the air as he ran, screaming for help along the way. But everyone they passed either hid or ran away, that is if Bane didn't shoot them first.<p>

When Jar Jar ran into a large atrium, he became tangled up in a battle between several clone troopers and dozens of battle droids. Jedi Masters Shaak Ti and Stass Allie were on the side of the clones, swinging their lightsabers to deflect blasterfire away from their troops.

Jar Jar's first impulse was to turn away and run someplace else, but it was too late. Bane was almost on top of him, so Jar Jar dove into the atrium and ducked behind a pile of crates. Some of the clones obviously weren't pleased with Jar Jar's arrival.

"You're not supposed to be here!" snapped one clone. "This is a battle zone!"

Jar Jar protested, "But dat der Bane is-a gonna booma meesa!"

The clone didn't understand what Jar Jar said. "What?"

Jar Jar was about to repeat himself when Bane appeared in the doorway. Jar Jar screamed, "Aah! Datsa bombad hunty bounter!"

Stass realized what Jar Jar was saying and whirled around to face Bane. The bounty hunter opened fire on the Jedi, who blocked his attack. Jar Jar, naturally, wanted to help so he picked up a blaster rifle.

"Hey!" exclaimed a clone. "You're not trained to handle that! Put it down before you hurt someone!"

"But meesa helping!" Jar Jar aimed the blaster at Bane and pulled the trigger. Unfortunately, the force of the blast knocked him over and the shot bounced off of Stass's lightsaber and hit a pile of crates next to the door the battle droids were coming through. The crates fell over and blocked the doorway, preventing more droids from coming in.

"Oh!" gasped Jar Jar excitedly. "Lookie, lookie! Mesa stop-ed da droids!"

With the droids gone, there was only one enemy left; Bane. He was hopelessly outnumbered against several clones, two Jedi, and a representative.

"Surrender, Bane," ordered Shaak. "You've lost. Lay down your weapons."

Bane considered his options. He couldn't fight all of them, nor could he run away without dozens of blaster bolts chasing him. So, with a growl, he dropped his blasters on the ground. But they were still loaded, and fired shots at the clones' feet, knocking them into each other. Then Bane raised his left arm and activated his wrist-mounted flamethrower. While the Jedi used the Force to divert the flames, Bane fired his jet-boots and flew up to the atrium balcony.

"Mesa get him!" said Jar Jar, jumping up to the balcony after him. But as he landed, he lost his balance and had to grab onto the hand rail to catch himself. "Mesa okay!" Then the hand rail broke from his weight and Jar Jar found himself holding a long metal pole.

Bane laughed. "You call yourself a representative? You're nothing but a clumsy idiot." He threw a punch at Jar Jar, who blocked it using his pole. Then he had an idea. This wasn't much longer or heavier than a Gungan electrostaff. Jar Jar knew how to use those!

So as Bane attempted another punch, Jar Jar swung his pole to push Bane's hand out of the way, and then swung at Bane's head. The bounty hunter ducked, and became very angry. The two combatants exchanged blows for a while. Once, Bane tried to fire his flamethrower, but Jar Jar's pole crushed it.

Later, Bane tried to escape using his jet-boots, but Jar Jar jumped on top of him and pulled him down to the ground, where the Jedi and clones were waiting with a pair of binders.

"Well done, Representative Binks," congratulated Shaak. "You have successfully captured a dangerous fugitive."

Jar Jar chuckled timidly. "Meesa just wanting to help."

* * *

><p>Mace Windu didn't know what Kit Fisto needed a defoliator for, but as the LAAT gunship flew over Coruscant, he kept his eyes out for a Defoliator Deployment Tank. As the gunship was flying over a series of bridges connecting an apartment complex, he saw one terrorizing the residents, flanked by several battle droids.<p>

At the precise moment, he jumped of the gunship and landed in front of the DDT. "Look!" exclaimed one of the droids. "It's a Jedi!"

"What do we do about Jedi?" asked another droid.

"Blast him!" ordered the commander. Upon its command, the droids began firing their blasters at Mace. But the Jedi was too powerful for them, and he sliced through them all in a matter of seconds. Then he hopped onto the DDT and threw the battle droid driver out and off the bridge.

He activated his wristcom. "Command center, this is Windu. Send an unloaded dropship to Apartment Complex Number 22."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano crash-landed the J-16 cockpit near the train station. It was a rough landing; Captain Rex was knocked unconscious, and Ahsoka ended up with a large, purple bruise on her head. At least they were still alive. Ahsoka pushed the cockpit canopy open and climbed out. She walked around a bit to get blood circulating through her legs.<p>

But Boba Fett had seen her crash and landed _Slave I_ nearby. The entry hatch opened soon afterward and Boba walked out. Once he and Ahsoka were standing face-to-face, he nodded in acknowledgement. "Hello, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka clenched her teeth. "What in the universe did you think you were doing? I thought we were friends."

Boba replied calmly, "I've been offered a chance at redemption. The only condition they would accept, however, was your murder."

Ahsoka's mouth hung open. "That's it? You think that by killing your own friend you would become a good guy?"

"They threatened to put a bounty on me! The first rule in bounty hunting is survival."

Ahsoka was crushed. "I actually thought you cared for me." She pulled out the two lightsabers attached to her belt. "I'll have to undo that mistake now." She ignited her weapons and assumed a defensive stance.

Boba pulled out his modified EE-3 blaster rifle and pointed it at Ahsoka. "Let's begin, shall we?"

"How about we end this?" Ahsoka leapt into the air and lunged at Boba, who dove out of the way at the last minute. He began firing powerful shots, which Ahsoka deflected with her lightsabers. Then she lashed out with the Force, knocking him to the ground. As Ahsoka rushed towards him, he activated his jetpack and flew into the air.

He fired more shots, and Ahsoka deflected those, too. She jumped with the Force to grab Boba, but he kicked out his foot and hit Ahsoka in the midsection. While she recovered from the blow, Boba flew behind a tower, hiding from sight. Ahsoka held her sabers ready in case he attempted a surprise attack.

He did. He fired a rocket from his jetpack, which Ahsoka narrowly dodged. The force of the explosion threw her across the street. As she landed, she dropped her lightsabers, which rolled in opposite directions. She tried to call them to her using the Force, but a wire wrapped around her green lightsaber in midair and pulled it to the person who fired the clingwire; Boba.

Boba tested the lightsaber in his hand, feeling its size and weight. Ahsoka gave an amused smile as she ignited her yellow lightsaber. "You dare challenge a Jedi?"

Boba replied, "My father taught me lightsaber combat. Of course, that was before you Jedi killed him!" He performed a feint and held his lightsaber in one hand, his blaster in the other. He fired his blaster as Ahsoka charged at him, and then he held up his lightsaber to defend against Ahsoka's swing.

Then it was Boba's turn to strike. Fighting with a lightsaber and a blaster at the same time had not been done in years, mainly because it was so hard to do. But Boba accomplished this task with ease. After every lightsaber swing, he would fire a shot, which Ahsoka would block. But then she had to block another lightsaber swing.

Ahsoka couldn't remember the last time she was kept so busy in a fight. She was beginning to tire. She tried to think of a way to make the fight harder on Boba and even the odds. Then she saw a mag-lev hovertrain pull into the station. That gave her an idea. She pushed Boba away with the Force and ran into the train station. Boba chased her, firing blaster shots the whole time.

Ahsoka ran through the crowd of people rushing to safety from the battle, Boba hot on her tail. Ahsoka stopped on the platform and the two continued their duel. A few minutes later, the train began to move. Ahsoka jumped on top of the train, and Boba followed her using his jetpack. Pretty soon, the train had picked up speed, and the duelers had to keep their balance, or fall hundreds of meters to the ground below.

* * *

><p>Back at the Jedi Temple, Kit Fisto and the other Jedi had rounded up the skeletons and were holding them in front of the temple. While they were waiting for Mace Windu to bring the DDT, they had to slice up the skeletons constantly to keep them from escaping. One Padawan wasn't quick enough, and a few skeletons had tackled him and began pulling his limbs out of their sockets.<p>

Then, an LAAT/c dropship flew in and set down a captured DDT, with Mace Windu standing on top. "I believe you wanted this?"

Kit smiled. "Charming. Pull it a safe distance away and load a defoliator capsule." Mace hopped into the tank and drove it backwards away from the fight. Then Kit addressed the other Jedi. "We'd better start running if we don't want to be caught in the blast."

One Jedi asked, "But if we run, won't the skeletons escape?"

"No, I think we can prevent that." As Kit said this, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a thermal detonator. He activated it and rolled it into the fray. "Now, run!" Upon his command, all of the Jedi ran away, just before the detonator exploded, blowing all of the skeletons apart.

Once the Jedi were in the safe zone, Mace fired the defoliator capsule. It landed in the middle of the bone pile, and a ring of fire grew outward from it. Once the flames were gone, all that was left of the skeletons was a field of ashes.

Kit smiled triumphantly. "And now, for the finishing touch." He waved his hand and sent a Force wave that blew all of the ashes into the air. As the ashes scattered and disappeared, everyone cheered. The skeletons had been permanently destroyed!

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was beginning to think that dueling Boba Fett on top of a moving train wasn't such a good idea. For one thing, whenever the train turned, the duelers nearly lost their balance. Secondly, they couldn't jump, or else they would be carried backwards by the wind. And finally, Boba was still too good.<p>

"You're very creative, aren't you?" said Boba sarcastically.

Ahsoka replied, "Well, this beats killing your own best friend for a living!"

Boba protested, "I'm not doing this for money! I'm doing this so that I can live!"

"But will you be able to live with yourself? Will you not be tormented by this deed that you know is morally wrong?"

Boba paused to ponder these words for a second, and then swung his lightsaber at Ahsoka. Ahsoka blocked with her lightsaber and stabbed at Boba's side. But he sidestepped and punched her in the face. Ahsoka staggered from the blow and fell over. She slid across the train car towards the edge, but she managed to grab hold of the service ladder just in time.

The speed of the train and the force of the air around her caused Ahsoka to slowly lose her grip. She called out, "Boba, help me! Please! Help!" But Boba didn't move. He simply stood and watched Ahsoka slip away. "Boba! I am your friend! Friends are loyal to one another. If you let me die, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

For one second, their eyes met each other's. Boba could see the fear and sadness in Ahsoka's eyes. Of course, he thought, it's only natural. She was about to die, betrayed by the man she loved. Then Ahsoka let go, and she fell. The hundreds of meters would kill her, and nothing would stop her fall. Boba knew that Ahsoka was already dead.

Boba realized he was still holding the lightsaber he had stolen from her. It would be a constant reminder of his selfish act. And the look in Ahsoka's eyes would haunt him for the rest of his life. A life which he gets to keep, he reminded himself, but at what cost?

That's when Boba made his decision. He clipped the lightsaber to his belt and dove off of the train. He activated his jetpack to add speed to his fall. A few seconds later, he saw her. Ahsoka was still falling, but unconscious, and it was only a matter of time before she hit the ground. Boba maneuvered himself so that he was underneath her, and then he eased upward until he held her in his arms. Then he positioned himself upright, hoping the jetpack had enough power to carry both of them upward.

It didn't. Even with the jetpack's power, they were still falling. But then they began to slow. Boba looked downward and saw the ground looming closer. If they hit the ground too hard, too fast, it would be too late. They continued to slow, and Boba kept his fingers crossed. A few seconds before they landed, he squeezed his eyes shut and hoped he would survive the impact.

Finally, they landed. Boba felt his legs go numb and he dropped Ahsoka. At least he was still alive. But what about Ahsoka? Boba threw off his helmet and ran to check her.

She was still unconscious, but Boba couldn't detect any breathing or pulse. "Ahsoka? Ahsoka!" He tried to shake her awake. "Don't be dead!" He waited a few minutes, but nothing happened. Then he realized the terrible truth.

Ahsoka Tano was dead.

Boba's mouth hung open and tears began to sting his eyes. "What have I done?" He had let her fall! "This is all my fault!" He hugged Ahsoka's body close and cried. "It's my fault. Oh, Ahsoka, I'm so sorry."

Boba cried over her body for a while. He knew he had to leave and report to Darth Sidious. He leaned Ahsoka against the wall of a nearby building, placed her lightsaber in her lap, kissed her forehead, and then walked away. He didn't call Sidious just yet; he didn't want to be crying when he gave his report. He decided he would go find _Slave I_. Maybe the pain will have subsided by then.

He doubted it.

* * *

><p>Once Boba was gone, Ahsoka cracked open one eyelid to make sure. In reality, she was never dead. When she saw Boba coming to save her, she used the Force to suppress her vital signs temporarily. She had been conscious and fully functional, but she wanted Boba to think she was dead. If he thought she was, whoever threatened him wouldn't kill him.<p>

Ahsoka was glad that they were both safe and sound, and that Boba cared for her after all. She confessed to herself that she never thought Boba was that nice. She always heard that love changes people.

The tender moment was interrupted by an explosion. Ahsoka realized that the Battle of Coruscant was still raging. She fastened both her lightsabers to her belt and ran towards the fighting. No Jedi would rest until the battle was won.


	15. Diversion of Coruscant

Diversion of Coruscant (Ep. #15)

* * *

><p>As the Battle of Coruscant rages on, Republic defenses are slowly defeated. Hundreds of innocents have been killed, and twice as many beautiful skyscrapers have been damaged. Despite the odds, the Jedi Knights and clone troopers are defending the planet with might and valor.<p>

Although many Separatist troops have been destroyed, the Jedi are still unaware of the true purpose of this campaign. General Grievous has only just begun to put his plan to action….

* * *

><p>Supreme Chancellor Palpatine watched the battle from his office in the Senate Building. As leader of the Galactic Senate, his safety was of utmost importance. He sat at his desk, drinking tea, with the chair turned towards the tall, wide, window that illuminated his office.<p>

One would think from his current behavior he didn't care about the battle, but in truth, he did. At his old age, he had had many years of experience hiding his emotions. No one ever saw him angry or sad. He was sadly intrigued by the thought of the capitol under attack, but he wasn't concerned that the Separatists would win. Not on Republic ground.

True, there would be much damage to property and lives. True, the battle was moving towards the Senate Building. But he was not worried. The Separatists wouldn't dare to kill the chancellor. Palpatine was perfectly safe.

The holotransmitter in his desk chimed, indicating that someone was contacting him. He swiveled his chair around and pressed the receive button. A hologram of Jedi Master Yoda appeared. Palpatine bowed his head in respect. "Master Yoda. Again you come before me."

"In grave danger, you are, Chancellor," stated Yoda.

"I am well aware of the risks that are posed to me, Master Jedi. But I assure you, I have more than enough security around my office."

"Retreating to the Senate District, the droids are. Evacuate, you must."

"Then simply concentrate your forces on the Senate District. Surely, the Jedi haven't been overpowered by mere battle droids?" Palpatine asked this question with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

Yoda shook his head. "Of course not, Chancellor. Only calling to warn you, I am."

"I thank you for your concern, Master Yoda. I shall consider your suggestion."

Yoda sighed sadly. "Reluctant, you are, to accept help. Dangerous, that is."

Once Yoda was gone, Palpatine smiled sadly and shook his head. The Jedi just don't understand politics. All they know is fighting. He turned back to the window and continued to watch the battle.

* * *

><p>Master Yoda was at a Republic command center set up near the Senate Building. He had grown tired of fighting, so he decided to lead the defense from the safety of a clone base. This allowed him to monitor the battle and command clone forces simultaneously.<p>

After he had finished speaking with Chancellor Palpatine, he contacted the other Jedi Masters commanding the battle. When he explained the situation to the others, Mace Windu's hologram raised his eyebrow. "Why is the chancellor refusing help?"

"Certainly he does not _want_ to be captured," put in Saesee Tiin.

"It's possible he wants to use himself as bait for the Separatists," suggested Stass Allie.

"What is he thinking?" asked Agen Kolar. "He's setting himself up for capture!"

Shaak Ti thought for a second. "Perhaps I should guard the chancellor. We wouldn't want any surprises."

Mace nodded. "I agree. I'll send Masters Roron Corobb and Foul Moudama to assist you."

Shaak bowed. "That would be most appreciated, Master Windu. May the Force be with us all."

The other Jedi echoed the good-bye and their holograms disappeared.

* * *

><p>In orbit above Coruscant, Republic and Separatist battlecruisers and starfighters were engaged in a heated space battle. Jedi Masters Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin commanded the battle from their <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers while clone ARC-170 starfighters attempted to destroy the vulture droids and droid tri-fighters.

General Grievous, the cyborg commander of the droid army, stood on the bridge of his personal flagship,the _Invisible Hand_. He watched as an ARC-170 fired its blaster cannons at the bridge's viewport, but to no avail. Then he laughed as the ship was destroyed by a gun turret.

The Neimoidian Lushros Dofine, who captained the ship, announced, "General, our troops have pushed into the Senate District and are breaking the Republic defenses."

"At last!" exclaimed Grievous. "What took them so long?"

Dofine stammered, "Well, we…"

Grievous snapped, "I don't want to hear excuses, Captain!" He wheezed as he strode towards the door. "Just keep those Republic ships away. I'm going down to the planet!"

Dofine gulped. "Of course, sir."

As Grievous walked through the ship to the hanger, he passed the battle droid crew scrambling to their stations. Some were running to man the gun turrets, while others were making repairs to the ship. In the hanger, droid technicians were refueling the fighters.

Grievous spotted the _Sheathipede_-class shuttle that was to take him to the planet's surface. As he approached it, he became very excited. This was the moment he had been looking forward to for years.

* * *

><p>Outside the Senate Building, two Jedi Masters were leading a clone defense force against a battalion of battle droids. They were both powerful with the Force and skilled with their lightsabers. They were Roron Corobb and Foul Moudama.<p>

Roron was an Ithorian, a species also known offensively as "Hammerheads" because of their long, curving necks and T-shaped heads. Although they were slower than humans, Ithorians had two mouths and four throats that allowed them to speak their unique stereo language and roar so loud and hard that they could shatter iron.

Foul was a large, white-furred Talz with two pairs of eyes; one for day vision, the other for night. Instead of a mouth, Talz used a small proboscis to eat and communicate. They were strong and had sharp claws, though they tended to be kindhearted and peaceful beings.

Both aliens were using their own special powers to fight the droids. Foul used his strong arms and legs, coupled with the Force, to jump around the courtyard and tear droids apart almost before they knew what hit them. And when there were too many droids at one time, Roron let out a roar that shook the ground and ripped the droids piece by piece.

After a while, Roron's comlink beeped and he answered the call. It was Shaak Ti. "Masters Corobb and Moudama, the chancellor is alone in his office, and the droids are closing in on his position. We must protect him. Both of you will report to the chancellor's office at once."

Roron grumbled an affirmative. He called to Foul, who responded with a series of squeaks. Then the two Jedi ran into the building.

But almost as soon as the Jedi were gone, a Separatist shuttle landed in the courtyard and opened its rear deployment doors. Eight IG-100 MagnaGuards wielding electrostaffs marched out, followed by General Grievous.

"Get them!" ordered the clone commander. The clone troopers opened fire on the newcomers, but the electrostaffs absorbed the blaster bolts, and Grievous deflected them with his two lightsabers. Then, on Grievous' command, three vulture droids flew in from the aerial battle and fired their missiles at the clones.

With the clones dead, Grievous turned to his droid bodyguards. "Remember, you have been divided into pairs. Each pair will position themselves in different locations along the escape route. Do you understand our mission?" Each droid replied in a foreign droid language. Satisfied, Grievous chuckled. "Good. Now, let's begin!"

The MagnaGuards all turned away from Grievous and marched into the Senate Building. Grievous, meanwhile, stalked back into his shuttle, which took off into the air.

* * *

><p>Chancellor Palpatine took another sip of tea as he watched the battle unfold at his own front door. Was he afraid? Who knows? Palpatine was still unreadable. He didn't appear concerned that anything bad would happen.<p>

The door to his office opened and a squad of clone troopers, followed by three Jedi, ran in. They were Shaak Ti, Roron Corobb, and Foul Moudama. "Chancellor!" exclaimed Shaak, "We must get you to your shelter immediately!"

Palpatine rotated his chair to face the Jedi. He merely smiled. "But the battle is nowhere near here. I will not cower in the face of victory!"

Shaak opened her mouth to argue more, but a low thud interrupted her. More thuds sounded, only they were slowly getting louder. Something was coming.

"Now what is that?" asked Palpatine.

As the thuds grew louder, Shaak realized that she had heard them before, years ago on the planet Hypori. Remembering what came next, she gasped. "We must leave! Now!"

Then the thudding stopped. "Ah," sighed Palpatine, turning back to the Jedi, "It was nothing." But with his back turned, he didn't see who was just out the window.

"Chancellor!" screamed Shaak. She used the Force to pull Palpatine away from the window just as it shattered. As he landed, Palpatine dropped his teacup and it rolled away. Then a large, metal foot crushed it. The foot belonged to General Grievous!

Palpatine stood up and dusted himself off. "How dare you barge in like this! Have you any idea who I am?"

Grievous cackled. "Yes, you are my leverage for the victory of the Separatist Alliance!"

Palpatine frowned. "I will not be intimidated by the likes of you. Nor will I become a hostage for you to bargain with."

Grievous reached behind his cape and pulled out two lightsabers. "We'll see about that!"

Shaak ordered the clones, "Take him!" As Palpatine back towards the door, the clones ran past him and began to fire on Grievous. As the Jedi fled with the chancellor, Grievous deflected as many blaster bolts as he could, and then, as a shot hit his chest plate, he leapt into the air and clung to the ceiling.

As the clones continued to shoot, Grievous crawled across the ceiling and lunged onto one of the clones. He landed on the clone and stabbed him with one of his lightsabers. Then he wrapped his clawed toes around the body's neck and threw him into the other clones, momentarily distracting them.

Before the clones could recover, Grievous attacked again, striking them down, one by one. One of the clones tried to sneak up on Grievous and attack him from behind, but the general whirled around and knocked the clone out the window, sending him tumbling hundreds of meters to the ground below.

* * *

><p>In space, Saesee Tiin's star destroyer was caught between two <em>Munificent<em>-class Separatist frigates. The frigates were firing all of their turbolasers at the cruiser, slowly tearing it apart. On the bridge, the Jedi commander attempted to stay balanced on the deck as he barked orders to the clone officers.

A clone engineer ran up to him and reported, "Sir! The shields are gone, and the main reactor is shutting down. The ship is lost!"

Saesee thought about what options they had. Without shields or a main reactor, the frigates would easily destroy the cruiser. But…

Saesee smiled at the thought that came to him next. "Perhaps it's time to find a new one." The clones looked confused. "Evacuate the ship. Load all the usable supplies we have left onto the escape pods. Have the officers fly them to the other cruisers."

The ship's captain asked, "But sir, if there are no escape pods, how do we evacuate?"

"Have all of the troops report to the main hanger." Saesee turned to the lifts to leave the bridge, but first he added, "Oh, and make sure they seal their helmets and wear jetpacks."

* * *

><p>In the hallway outside of the chancellor's office, Shaak Ti, Roron Corobb, Foul Moudama, Chancellor Palpatine, and a blue-robed Senate commando listened as General Grievous slaughtered the clone troopers inside the office. Roron pressed the elevator call button repeatedly, hoping to make it come faster.<p>

Then the office door opened and Grievous stalked out. As he drew nearer, Roron let out a sonic roar that caused the ceiling to collapse on top of Grievous, giving the group time to escape in the elevator. As the doors slid shut, they caught a glimpse of Grievous clambering out of the rubble.

Grievous ran up to the doors and pried them open with his claws. He dove after the rapidly descending elevator, landing on top. Upon hearing the impact and seeing two lasers cut through the ceiling, the commando pointed his rocket launcher upward and fired. The elevator's roof, along with Grievous, was blown back up the shaft.

The elevator arrived at the bottom floor and the doors opened. Everyone ran out of the elevator, only to be met with two MagnaGuards. The group turned around, but Grievous was coming out of the elevator, lightsabers in hand. The three Jedi ignited their lightsabers and formed a protective circle around Palpatine.

Grievous darted forward and Foul blocked his lightsaber swings. Shaak and Roron consequently began to duel the electrostaff-wielding MagnaGuards. Palpatine ducked out of the circle and backed away from the fight. The commando followed him and fired at Grievous and the droids with his blaster rifle.

Shaak swung her lightsaber one way and then the other to defend against swings from the MagnaGuards. Roron and Foul both brought their lightsabers down on Grievous from either side, but Grievous stopped them with his own lightsabers.

All the while, the commando continued to take shots at the enemies, but finding an open opportunity was difficult unless he wanted to shoot some Jedi in the process. One of the MagnaGuards fell into a clear line of sight, and the commando fired.

The shot hit the droid's shoulder, but its armor was too thick. Recognizing its attacker, the droid broke away from the fight and pinned the commando to the wall with its electrostaff. A continuous pulse of electricity tortured the commando until he died.

With his bodyguard defeated, Palpatine was face-to-face with the MagnaGurad. As the droid swung its electrostaff, Palpatine ducked and threw a punch at the droid's chest. He groaned as the wrinkled skin protecting his knuckles broke from the impact.

In response to Palpatine's groan, Shaak turned around and used the Force to throw the MagnaGuard against the adjacent wall. She ran to the chancellor's side, who was massaging his hand. He suddenly realized how long it's been since he last had to defend himself.

"We can't hold them off forever, Master Jedi," commented Palpatine. "I suggest we continue to the shelter."

Shaak nodded. "I agree, Your Excellency." The three Jedi and chancellor ran down the hall to a set of doors that led to the subway. But just before they made it, the doors slid open and two more MagnaGuards came in. And Grievous and the first two droids were chasing them. They were trapped!

Roron reared up and let out another loud roar. The MagnaGuards were tossed off their feet and pinned down by raining slabs of metal. But Grievous was ready for this move; he crouched into a ball to decrease wind resistance and dug his claws into the floor, holding him in place.

Roron held the roar longer, hoping to knock over Grievous, but the cyborg crawled slowly forward using his claws. Realizing he was wasting his breath, Roron cut off his bellow and the group ran past the fallen MagnaGuards and into the subway station.

* * *

><p>Back in space, on his crippled star destroyer, Saesee Tiin was standing in the dorsal hanger overseeing the ship's evacuation. The supplies had been launched in the escape pods, and the clone troopers were flowing into the hanger wearing jet packs.<p>

Once everyone was accounted for, Saesee announced to the clones, "Just follow my lead. We're going to take one of those frigates." He pulled a protective mask over his face and used the Force to open the large overhead doors leading into space.

Then, without warning, Saesee leapt out into space. The clones, however confused, activated their jet packs and followed. The Jedi Master floated in space, using his lightsaber to deflect blasterfire from the droid fighters. The clones followed suit and fired the blasters at the fighters.

Saesee concentrated on a nearby vulture droid and used the Force to guide it in his direction. After careful calculation, he kicked out his feet against the moving starfighter and propelled himself towards one of the Separatist frigates. The clones followed.

The turbolasers on the frigate immediately began to shoot at the enemies crawling on its hull. But the clones fired the blasters in an attempt to destroy the turrets. Saesee, meanwhile, used his lightsaber to cut a hole in the hull and dropped into the ship. He met several battle droids, but they were easy work for his lightsaber.

Saesee and several clones ran through the frigate, destroying any droids that got in their way. When they got to the bridge, they heard a droid controller announce, "Uh, sir? Reports indicate there's a Jedi and hundreds of clones boarding the ship!"

The tactical droid in charge replied in its flat, monotonous voice, "That is impossible. The odds are approximately 11,374,265 to one."

The controller scratched its head. "Uh, how bad is that?"

"Pretty bad," answered Saesee coolly.

The droids turned around. "Look! It's the Jedi!"

One of the pilots groaned, "Oh, no."

The clones unleashed a volley of blasterfire, and the droids were quickly destroyed. Saesee leapt over the control consoles and sliced off the tactical droid's head. The head, although disembodied, droned, "Must… re-cal-cu-late…."

Saesee deactivated his lightsaber and attached it to his belt. "Men, the ship is ours!"

The clones cheered and began taking the controls of the frigate and the turrets. The other Separatist cruisers were in for quite a surprise when they realized they were being attacked by one of their own ships. Within a minute, the other frigate that helped destroy the Jedi cruiser blew up, throwing pieces of scrap metal into space.

* * *

><p>On Coruscant's surface, the battle was far from over. At the Senate Apartment Complex three artillery cannon-mounted MP-CT-2s were attempting to destroy five octuptarra tri-droids crawling on the walls of the buildings. But given the height of the buildings, and the elevation range of the walkers, this was proving to be a difficult task.<p>

One of the MP-CT-2s fired two of its side-mounted missiles, and they both hit one of the droids in its spherical head. But it still wasn't enough to destroy the droids completely. The droid retaliated by firing its blasters at the MP-CT-2. The shots connected and the tank burst into flame from the inside out.

The droid then fired at the other tanks, but the shots never connected. Jedi Master Mace Windu had appeared on the scene and was deflecting the laser bolts with his lightsaber. The droid switched its weapon to a continuous laser beam, but Mace defended against that, too.

Mace angled his lightsaber so that the reflected beam cut through the other octuptarra droids on the building. One droid lost its legs and crashed to the ground, another exploded completely, and two more were shut down. Mace turned his lightsaber so that the beam was hitting its source, and it melted through the droid's exposed wiring. The droid's brain exploded and it tumbled to the ground.

But Mace didn't see another droid peek out from behind another building. It aimed its laser cannon at the Jedi Master, and just as they were lined up, a green lightsaber sliced through the barrel. As Jedi Master Kit Fisto fell, he grabbed what was left of the cannon and swung back upwards, landing on top of the droid's head. He cut an "X" into the head, and then stabbed at the center point. The droid shut down and fell to join its predecessors.

Kit, at the last moment, jumped to land next to Mace. As he brushed some shrapnel off of his sleeve, he said, "You should be grateful, you know. If I hadn't come along, you'd be in more pieces than those droids!" He laughed at his joke.

Mace smiled with an eyebrow raised. "Very funny, as always, Master Fisto." They were suddenly interrupted by twenty droidekas rolling towards them. As they deployed from ball mode and activated their bubble shields, the two Jedi ignited their lightsabers and deflected the heavy blaster bolts fired by the droids.

As they fought, Kit commented, "It appears the Separatists are focusing their attack on the Senate Building. But they haven't sent anymore droids into the Jedi Temple."

Mace pointed out, "They did send some droids to the temple and other areas as well."

"Not to mention those bounty hunters, Mandalorian soldiers, and Force skeletons," added Kit.

"But they're not allied with the Separatists, and the troops in the other places have all come here. Not even Dooku would plan an attack like this."

"They don't expect victory," realized Kit, "The battle is only a diversion…"

Mace finished his sentence for him. "…to distract us from their real target!"

It hit them both at the same time. "Palpatine!" Without saying another word, they both jumped onto a passing LAAT gunship. The clone troopers already on board were bewildered by the unexpected arrival of the Jedi.

Before they could ask, however, Mace called up to the pilot, "Turn the ship around! Take us to the chancellor's office!"

"Yes, sir!" responded the clone. Everyone clung to the ceiling handles as the gunship made a sharp U-turn.

Mace punched a frequency into his wristcom and asked, "Master Ti, is the chancellor safe?" No reply. "Shaak Ti, do you copy?" Still no reply. Mace hoped that they weren't too late.

* * *

><p>Shaak Ti and Roron Corobb jumped over the subway turnstiles. Foul Moudama picked up Chancellor Palpatine and followed them. The four MagnaGuards jumped over soon after. Every time someone jumped over the turnstile, an electronic voice spoke. "Your pass – Your pass, please. Your pass please. You- Your pa- Your pass – Your pass please." General Grievous silenced the machine with his lightsabers before he continued his pursuit.<p>

The chase brought them into the subway terminal, where several rows of track carried high-speed trains throughout the district. But there were also two more MagnaGuards on either side of the door. The Jedi knew that they couldn't wait for the trains to stop, so they had to jump over the tracks.

Since Palpatine was too old to be jumping that much, Foul continued to carry him while Shaak and Roron dueled Grievous and the six MagnaGuards. But it is hard to defend oneself when outnumbered on a seven to two margin. At one point, Grievous slipped past the two Jedi and came to take Palpatine, but Foul ignited his lightsaber and dueled Grievous while carrying Palpatine at the same time.

Shaak was trying to fight three of the MagnaGuards, which were pushing her towards the track. In a matter of seconds, she would fall onto the recessed rail and be run over by a train – if she wasn't electrocuted to death first.

Shaak stepped backwards onto the edge of the platform and lost her balance. As she fell, she twisted in midair so that she landed on her hands, just three centimeters from the rail. Then she pushed off with her hands and landed on the opposite platform. One of the MagnaGuards hopped into the trench to follow her, but before it could hop out, a train came and flattened it.

Meanwhile, Roron was dealing with his own trio of MagnaGuards. He back flipped over one of the tracks and landed on a bridge. He was about to jump over another one, but a long train came and stopped him. The droids jumped onto the platform with him and another long train sped behind them, trapping the Jedi and droids.

They dueled briefly until one of the MagnaGuards hit him with its electrostaff. After Roron recovered from the electric shock, he waved his hands and used the Force to throw the droids against the passing train. Two of them merely bounced off the sides, but one was caught between two cars and carried away.

Foul held his lightsaber to protect Palpatine from each of Grievous' swings. Then they both attacked at the same time and their lightsabers locked onto each other. Both combatants pushed as hard as they could to force their enemy's weapon out of his hand. But Grievous had two arms powered by servomotors, and Foul only had one hand of flesh.

Grievous was suddenly forced to withdraw one lightsaber to defend himself against Shaak. Roron was left alone to duel the remaining four MagnaGuards. His lightsaber flew furiously to block the droids' electrostaffs and he was forced back towards his Jedi companions. When he was almost back-to-back with Shaak, he bellowed again, just hard enough to knock the droids off of the bridge.

Roron grumbled a command, and Shaak agreed. "We must get to the shelter. Push onward!" The Jedi moved backwards towards the other end of the terminal as they dueled against Grievous, who was now alone.

When they reached the door, however, it wouldn't open. Foul squeaked to the other Jedi, and Shaak said, "Try to get it open. We'll hold him off." Foul stuck his lightsaber through the door and began to carve a hole large enough for them to fit through. But his immense size meant they needed a larger hole, which would take more time to cut.

Meanwhile, Shaak and Roron both brought their lightsabers down over their heads, but were stopped by Grievous' lightsabers. The cyborg took advantage of the opening and kicked Shaak in the stomach. She stumbled backwards and fell against the wall.

Grievous attempted to kick Roron as well, but the Jedi was quick enough to dodge the blow. He continued to fight Grievous alone, but he was beginning to tire. Still against the wall, Shaak noticed the problem and thought quickly of an idea. She waved her hand slightly and used the Force to tie the corner of Grievous' cape to a nearby train without him noticing.

Foul finished cutting his hole, and a circular slab of metal crashed to the floor. The Jedi and chancellor rushed through, and Grievous gave chase. But for some reason, he couldn't move. He suddenly realized what Shaak had done. He raised a lightsaber to cut off the corner of his cape, but he was too late. The train sped off at high speed, carrying Grievous with it.

As the train disappeared from view, the Jedi deactivated their weapons and breathed sighs of relief. Palpatine smiled and commented, "Well, done, my dear. At last we are rid of that monster."

Shaak shook her head. "No, Chancellor, we are not. He will be back, and so will his guards. We must hurry." The group ran down the hallway until they arrived at a door marked "Do not enter. For emergencies only." In addition, the door was reinforced with a computer lock.

Shaak used the Force to turn the lock mechanism and open the door. On the other side was a long, wide tunnel with several hover capsules parked inside. Foul opened the hatch of one of the capsules and gestured for Palpatine to get inside.

Shaak explained, "This tunnel leads directly to your shelter, chancellor. You will be safe there."

Palpatine raised an eyebrow. "You're not coming, Master Jedi?"

"No," replied Shaak with a grim expression. "I will stay here and hold off the droids." Noticing Foul and Roron's concern, she placed her hands on their shoulders reassuringly and said, "Protect the chancellor with your lives."

Foul placed his hand on her shoulder and squeaked.

"That is very courageous of you," lamented Palpatine. "I'm sure your sacrifice will be recognized in the Jedi Archives."

After a moment's hesitation, Foul and Roron followed Palpatine into the capsule. Shaak watched the hatch close and the capsule speed off into the darkness. She turned around to face the door, lightsaber in hand.

* * *

><p>The LAAT gunship flew directly to the chancellor's office at the Senate Building instead of landing. The blast doors opened and Mace Windu and Kit Fisto jumped through the broken panoramic window. They looked around the office in shock. There were bodies of dead clone troopers strewn all over the room. And Palpatine was nowhere to be seen.<p>

Kit bent over one of the clone bodies and examined it. "These clones weren't shot; they were killed by a lightsaber."

"Grievous!" exclaimed Mace. "We should have known he would be here."

"It has become increasingly hard to anticipate anything these days," pointed out Kit.

Mace took another look around. "The Jedi we sent aren't among the dead. Maybe they escaped with the chancellor, and took him to his shelter!"

"They probably took the hover capsules on the other side of the subway station."

"We'll take the gunship to the shelter, and then we'll head back through the capsule tunnel and hopefully meet up with them along the way."

"We'd better hurry," Kit said before jumping back onto the gunship.

Mace joined him and ordered the pilot to take them to the chancellor's emergency shelter. The gunship flew off at high speed.

* * *

><p>Grievous growled as he was carried away by the train. He should have expected such treachery from the Jedi! How could he have been so ignorant? But Grievous didn't complain. He knew that the train would lead him to the chancellor's shelter.<p>

He climbed along his cape until he had grabbed hold of the train. Then he used his lightsaber to cut off the corner that was tied to it. He climbed to the roof and dug his claws into the metal. Now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

><p>As the gunship flew over Coruscant, Mace Windu and Kit Fisto surveyed the battle. It looked like it was finally winding down. Most of the droid forces were either destroyed or in retreat, and the citizens of Coruscant had found shelter. But the Jedi knew that it wasn't over until the chancellor was safe and Grievous gone.<p>

Suddenly Kit pointed downward. "Look!"

Mace followed Kit's finger and saw a train below them. And there was someone on top of it. "It's Grievous!" He turned to the pilot of the gunship and ordered, "Blast him!"

"We're out of rockets, sir," replied the pilot.

"Move us in closer," said Kit. "Mace and I will handle this."

"Yes, sir." The pilot pushed the throttle downward and the ship lowered towards the train. At the precise moment, the two Jedi hopped out of the ship and landed right in front of Grievous.

Grievous snarled. "Masters Windu and Fisto. I should have expected you to chase me! But I'm sure you realize that you are too late. My finest bodyguards have dealt with your Jedi and have taken the chancellor."

"We see through your lies, Grievous," said Kit. He and Mace ignited their lightsabers. "And now, you are going to pay for all the innocent people you killed today."

Grievous' arms split lengthwise and he took out four lightsabers. He slowly advanced on the Jedi, spinning his weapons like buzz saws. The Jedi slowly stepped backwards, and then stuck their lightsabers into the paths of Grievous' blades. Grievous rotated his waist while his arms were outstretched and his lightsabers hit those of the Jedi in rapid succession.

Mace quickly jumped, let the wind resistance carry him over Grievous, and dove back onto the roof. Immediately afterwards, he attempted to drive his lightsaber through Grievous' back. But Grievous defended himself with two of his lightsabers.

As their lightsabers locked, Grievous swung his other set of arms at Kit and, simultaneously, kicked Mace upward. Mace tumbled over Grievous and landed behind Kit, who had stepped backwards to avoid Grievous' lightsabers. Grievous took advantage of the opportunity and ran across the roof of the train car.

When he reached the other end of the car, Grievous used all four of his lightsabers to cut a hole in the roof. He hopped down into the train and the Jedi followed him. When they landed, they saw that Grievous had run back to the other end and was standing behind a row of seats and poles.

Grievous laughed triumphantly and began spinning his lightsabers again, shredding the seats and poles and sending shrapnel flying at Mace and Kit. Mace covered his eyes to protect them, but Kit used the Force to shield them from the attack. Mace uncovered his eyes and used the Force to pick up a seat and throw it at Grievous.

Not expecting the move, Grievous was knocked over by the flying chair. He began to stand up, but now that his buzz saw attack had ceased, Kit had joined Mace in throwing chairs at Grievous. The cyborg swung his lightsabers to cut through the chairs before they hit him, though he was still taking a beating.

The fight was interrupted when the speaker system announced that they had reached the stop near the chancellor's shelter. Grievous cackled. "So long, Jedi!" With that final word, he threw a thermal detonator at the Jedi and ran out of the train just before it exploded, causing the train car to collapse on top of the Jedi.

* * *

><p>Shaak Ti held her lightsaber ready in case the MagnaGuards attempted an ambush. For the past few minutes, though, everything had been too quiet. But she could sense that the droids were in the room, watching her. It was only a matter of figuring out their next move.<p>

Shaak's lightsaber moved seemingly on its own accord, parrying an electrostaff belonging to a droid that had snuck up behind her. That, apparently, was the signal for the other droids to attack. Another MagnaGuard approached her from behind, two more appeared out of the darkness in front of her, and a brand new pair jumped from the ceiling and landed on either side of her.

Not very many Jedi could say that they had fought six MagnaGuards alone and survived. But Shaak was confident she would overcome. As the six droids formed a circle around her, she formulated a plan to defeat them. Then they attacked, swinging and twirling their electrostaffs in a fury of purple lightning.

Shaak jumped, ducked, blocked, and parried to defend herself against this seemingly overwhelming force. She performed a series of complex acrobatics to dodge the weapons. Then she leapt over the droids and ran up the side of the cylindrical tunnel, using the Force to give her a boost of speed and traction. She disappeared into the darkness, leaving the droids confused. Then, she fell to the ground twirling in midair with her lightsaber outstretched. As she landed, she sliced through two of the MagnaGuards; one through its head, and the other its legs.

But the remaining four droids continued to attack ever more furiously. As Shaak blocked an attack from two MagnaGuards, a third one knocked her lightsaber out of her hand. As she watched her weapon clatter away, the four droids swung their electrostaffs furiously, prompting Shaak to dodge with a dance of complex acrobatics.

Then she noticed that the two droids she had already defeated were still moving, despite having lost part of their bodies. The one without a head could still see out of its chest, and was trying to stand up. The one without legs was crawling forward with its arms. She used the Force to summon the electrostaffs of the two fallen droids to her hands. They weren't lightsabers, but they would do. She drove the staffs into the two droids' power outlets, deactivating them.

Shaak twirled the staffs with blurring speed, holding the droids at bay. But she still couldn't defeat them. At one point, all four of the MagnaGuards formed a circle around her and brought their electrostaffs down on Shaak. She held out both of her staffs to stop the swings. She expected the droids to retaliate, but, to her surprise, they withdrew their weapons and backed away into the darkness. What were they doing? The only reason battle droids would leave a fight was if…

Shaak gasped as the truth hit her. The droids were just another diversion. General Grievous needed them to buy him more time to complete his mission! Shaak picked up her lightsaber where she dropped it and hopped into one of the hover capsules. She activated it and sped it down the tunnel towards the chancellor's shelter.

* * *

><p>Roron Corobb, Foul Moudama, and Chancellor Palpatine entered the shelter. It was empty and the lights weren't on, leaving the small building eerily dark and quiet. Palpatine sighed as they walked in. "At last, we are safe from that monster."<p>

Suddenly, the door closed behind them, trapping them in pitch-black darkness. It only lasted a couple seconds though; the room was soon illuminated by two blue and green lightsabers – belonging to General Grievous! Roron and Foul ignited their lightsabers and began to duel Grievous while Palpatine backed up against the wall.

Each of Grievous' lightsabers locked blades with one of the Jedi's. Each of the three combatants pushed as hard as they could, trying to cut off their opponent's arms. Then, to the Jedi's horror, Grievous' arms split and drew two more lightsabers.

* * *

><p>Shaak Ti arrived at the chancellor's shelter and rushed inside. She gasped in response to the scene in front of her. The dead bodies of Roron and Foul lay on the floor at Grievous' feet, and Grievous was holding Palpatine by the collar of his robes.<p>

Palpatine scowled. "You wouldn't dare hurt me. What would your masters think?"

Grievous snarled. "You're lucky they want you alive!"

Shaak exclaimed, "Chancellor!"

Palpatine acknowledged the newcomer and smiled. "Ah, Shaak Ti, my dear. You've come to rescue me."

Shaak activated her lightsaber and rushed at Grievous. But the cyborg wrapped his metal hands around her neck and began choking her. As she gasped for air, Grievous threw Palpatine to the ground and cackled. "You won't be needing this anymore." He took Shaak's lightsaber out of her hand and placed it in a pocket in his cape. "In the meantime, I have something for you." He held out his arm and three electrically charged cables shot out and wrapped around the Jedi.

* * *

><p>Mace Windu and Kit Fisto used the Force to move the train debris so they could get free. Emergency crews had arrived on the scene to oversee the rescue operation. Once they had stood up and dusted themselves off, the Jedi looked around for Grievous.<p>

Mace pointed and yelled, "There!" He was pointing at a _Sheathipede_-class shuttle landing on a nearby platform. He and Kit ran and jumped to the platform as quick as they could, using the Force to back their strides.

When they arrived at the platform, General Grievous and four MagnaGuards were leading a cuffed Palpatine up the ramp of the shuttle. Grievous took one look at the Jedi and laughed triumphantly.

Mace clenched his teeth and squeezed his fist. At the same time, Grievous' chest plates warped and the cord connecting his organ gutsack to his head ripped. Grievous screamed in pain and fell to the floor, coughing violently. He managed to sputter, "Get… us… out of here!"

Mace and Kit charged towards the shuttle with their lightsabers ignited, but the ramp had already retracted and the doors slid closed. The shuttle hovered above the ground, its landing legs folded underneath its body, and the ship carrying the Republic's leader hostage flew into space.

For a moment, the Jedi stood rooted to the spot, staring in horror at the place where the shuttle had been. They were too late!

Then Kit remembered. "The Jedi bodyguards!" They both ran to the chancellor's shelter and threw open the door. They saw the dead bodies of Roron Corobb and Foul Moudama first. Then Mace gasped, "Shaak Ti!"

Shaak was tied to a pillar with electrically charged cables, gasping and writhing from the electric shocks. She did manage to say, "I'm sorry Masters. I have failed."

* * *

><p>General Grievous' shuttle ascended Coruscant's smoke-filled atmosphere, and then wove through the battle raging in space. Grievous instructed the battle droid pilot to fly smoothly; they wanted their hostage alive and intact. Palpatine, meanwhile, sat silent and expressionless. Grievous prayed for some sign of fear. He had gone through all this trouble just so he could kidnap the chancellor; he wanted his success to be worth it.<p>

The shuttle flew onto the _Invisible Hand_ and landed in the main hanger. The doors slid open and the hatch extended, allowing the occupants to leave. Grievous pulled Palpatine to his feet and shoved him towards the ramp. Palpatine scowled and said, "You ought to be more careful with your prisoners. I would to imagine what would happen to you if I came to any harm."

Grievous didn't reply, but merely led Palpatine out of the hanger.

* * *

><p>Mace had called for an LAAT gunship, and several clone troopers were loading the dead bodies of Roron and Foul into the cargo hold. Shaak was placed on a stretcher and was being treated by a medical droid. Everyone was glad when the droid announced that she would survive.<p>

One clone walked up to the Jedi and reported, "Sir, the droids are returning to their cruisers in orbit. The civilians are being treated and everyone's returning from the fight. The battle is won."

"On the planet," pointed out Mace. "But our cruisers still need to destroy the Separatist fleet and rescue the chancellor."

Kit shook his head. "We don't have enough ships to break the fleet, nor do we have enough Jedi in space to rescue Palpatine."

Mace thought. "We'll go back to the Jedi Temple. Contact Generals Kenobi and Skywalker. They are our only hope."

Kit nodded in agreement. "I sense that Count Dooku is behind this. He's going to use the chancellor as leverage against us."

Mace sighed. "We may have won the battle, but at the same time, we may have lost the war. Sometimes I wonder if there are more sinister forces at work in this war."

The two Jedi boarded the gunship, which ferried them away. All the while, they pondered the uncertain outcome of the Clone Wars.


	16. Heroes of Coruscant

Heroes of Coruscant (Ep. # 16)

* * *

><p>Supreme Chancellor kidnapped! During the Battle of Coruscant, General Grievous, commander of the droid army, has abducted Chancellor Palpatine, leader of the Republic. Now, Palpatine is being held hostage aboard Grievous' flagship, which is attempting to escape the battle.<p>

Undaunted, the Republic launches a daring mission to rescue the captive chancellor, and destroy Grievous once and for all. But with an enormous Separatist fleet escorting the chancellor away, the Jedi are forced to call in reinforcements….

* * *

><p>Deep in the Outer Rim Territories, a fleet of <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers hovered in empty space. The immense ships had just won a space battle against a Separatist fleet, and were being repaired by clone technicians. On its flagship, the _Negotiator_, two Jedi Knights commanded the fleet.

On the bridge of the _Negotiator_, Anakin Skywalker surveyed the cruisers through the wide transparisteel viewport. When he was convinced that the situation was under control, he went into the control room to join his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, at the holomap command station.

Anakin chuckled feebly. "That was the easiest battle ever. How many ships did we lose, again?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, but that means they will be destroyed in an even greater battle." Obi-Wan was leaning over the wide, circular console and holoprojector.

Anakin shook his head. "You're back's going to go stiff if you keep standing like that. What are you waiting for, anyway?"

"Our next orders from the Jedi Council."

"We just won a battle, and now you want to go straight to another one? Who are you and what have you done with Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

The two Jedi laughed at Anakin's joke. Finally, Obi-Wan replied, "Of course I don't want to go to another battle. I'm hoping it will be a more… peaceful mission."

"As long as I'm around, you're never going to have a peaceful mission."

"Which gives me reason to be rid of you."

Anakin frowned. He couldn't tell whether or not Obi-Wan was joking. Surely, Obi-Wan didn't want to get rid of his own best friend!

Their conversation was interrupted when the life-size hologram of Jedi Master Mace Windu appeared on the holomap. "Kenobi, Skywalker, we have an urgent mission for you. General Grievous has invaded Coruscant and kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine!"

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged surprised glances. How could the Separatists attack the capitol planet of the Republic, much less kidnap its leader?

Mace continued, "Grievous is holding the chancellor aboard his command ship, which is attempting to flee the battle. It's being backed by hundreds of Separatist ships. You and your fleet must return immediately and reinforce the ships we already have. Then, you two must board Grievous' ship and rescue the chancellor."

Obi-Wan nodded. "We're on our way." The hologram winked off and Obi-Wan began giving orders to the clone officers. Then he noticed that Anakin was staring into space with a deep frown. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder and reassured him, "Anakin, I know how close you are to the chancellor. We will find him, and, with any luck, destroy his captor."

Anakin nodded, though he still wasn't convinced. When he became a Jedi Padawan, nearly thirteen years ago, Palpatine had taken a great interest in him. Ever since then, Palpatine has watched over Anakin, given him advice, and encouraged him to become an even greater Jedi. In truth, Palpatine was closer to him than Obi-Wan. The thought of losing him was unbearable.

* * *

><p>Above the planet Coruscant, dozens of Republic star destroyers were battling it out against hundreds of Separatist <em>Munificent<em>-class frigates, _Providence_-class destroyers, and _Lucrehulk_-class droid control ships. Clone ARC-170 starfighters were deployed from the star destroyers, but thousands of vulture droids and tri-fighters fought back fiercely.

The entire Separatist fleet was commanded by General Grievous on his personal flagship, the _Invisible Hand_. It was a _Providence_-class ship, although heavily upgraded by Grievous to become twice as lethal.

At the rear of the ship was a tall spire that ended with Grievous' personal quarters. A series of elevators led up to the quarters, which was dominated by a spacious command room with a tall, wide viewport used for observation.

One of the elevator doors opened and Grievous stepped into the room. He was followed by two MagnaGuard bodyguards, who led the bound Chancellor Palpatine. Grievous was beginning to get annoyed by Palpatine's defiance. Most beings cowered before Grievous, especially when they were his captives.

Grievous wheezed and coughed as he led Palpatine down the stairs of the observation room. They crossed the room and arrived at a swiveling command chair right in front of the viewport. Grievous pushed Palpatine down into the chair and activated the electric binders that encircled Palpatine's wrists and bound him to the chair.

Grievous cackled. "And now, Chancellor, we will leave Coruscant and bring you to my masters to be ransomed."

"I will not be bartered over like a scrap of food," replied Palpatine indignantly.

"We will see about that." Grievous punched a communication frequency into one of the chair's arms. A life-size hologram appeared before them. It was Count Dooku, Sith Lord and Separatist leader. "My lord, I have done as you commanded. Allow me to present your chancellor."

Palpatine frowned at the hologram. "Count Dooku. I should have expected you to be behind such a foolish action."

Dooku ignored the chancellor and smiled maliciously. "Excellent work, General. You have certainly proved your worth today."

Grievous bowed. "Thank you, Count. I could easily kill the chancellor now."

"No," snapped Dooku, "We have explicit orders to keep him alive."

"As you wish." Dooku could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"However, I must warn you, Grievous. The Jedi are sure to attempt a rescue. If we lose the chancellor, we will have wasted dozens of fleets and legions. We cannot afford a defeat, General."

"I have thought of that," explained Grievous. "That is why I have set up certain defenses should the Jedi board my ship."

"I am glad to hear it. Nevertheless, I feel that this is a matter that requires my presence." Grievous' eyes widened in surprise. Count Dooku was coming here? "I am on my way," Dooku continued. "Be ready to receive my ship when I arrive."

Grievous bowed again. "Very well, my lord. It will be done."

The hologram disappeared and Grievous strode towards the elevators silently. If Count Dooku was coming, that could only mean that he doubted Grievous' ability to do the job himself. If Grievous failed, Dooku would punish him.

* * *

><p>The Republic fleet over Coruscant was led by two Jedi Masters. They were Saesee Tiin and Agen Kolar. Agen commanded the battle from the bridge of his star destroyer, the <em>Guarlara<em>, while Saesee led the fighter attack in his green Eta-2 _Actis_-class Jedi interceptor.

Agen oversaw the battle through the forward viewport on the bridge. He couldn't recall ever being in such a fierce battle before today. The Separatists caught the Republic completely off-guard with their invasion, and it took much time to prepare the fleet and clone forces, giving the droids more time to inflict damage.

Now, looking out the viewport, he saw warships, starfighters, blaster bolts, and fire everywhere he looked. Normally, Coruscant's orbit was dominated by supply ships and passenger transports, but never in the past 1,000 years had there been an attack.

Suddenly, a clone navigator announced, "Sir, we've got a frigate bearing down on our starboard."

Agen looked out to the ship's right and saw a _Munificent_-class frigate flying towards them. "Intensify the starboard shields and concentrate fire on the frigate's bridge."

The four heavy dual turbolasers and 25 laser cannons on the starboard side of the ship rotated and elevated so that they were aimed at the frigate's bridge. They began firing a rapid spread of lasers, most of which hit their target. After a while, explosions erupted from the ship's bridge, and the frigate began to plummet.

Meanwhile, Saesee maneuvered his fighter around the cruisers, dodging blasterfire and shooting at any droid fighter that flew into his sights. He was followed by a squad of ARC-170 starfighters, each one flown by three clone pilots with their own unique jobs.

Saesee noticed a few dozen droid fighters flying towards a cluster of star destroyers. He addressed the other pilots via comlink, "We have fighters, incoming at point-94. Protect the cruisers!" He flipped two switches in his cockpit and his thrusters erupted, giving the interceptor a boost of speed.

"They're coming right at us," observed the commander. "All pilots, move into attack formation Delta-4." The ARC-170s positioned themselves so that they were lined up one behind another. They continued to fly at the droids, not breaking off.

"Break off, now!" ordered Saesee.

On his command, the clone fighters spiraled away from the line in different directions, firing their blaster cannons all the while. The droids were caught in crossfire and several of them were destroyed. A few of the survivors fired missiles at the ARC-170s.

Upon seeing the missiles, the clone commander shouted, "Evasive maneuvers!" The clones began performing every trick they knew, but the missiles relentlessly pursued. One missile collided with a fighter's engine, which burst into flames.

Inside the fighter's cockpit, warning lights began to flash. "Aargh!" exclaimed the pilot. "I'm hit! The engine is overheating!"

"Shut it down!" ordered the copilot.

"I'm trying!" The pilot pressed buttons and threw switches in a vain effort to save the ship. Then the engine exploded and the fighter's wing broke off, sending the ship spiraling downward.

Saesee, meanwhile, had picked up two missiles which were slowly gaining on him. But he thought quickly and steered towards the communications antennae on one of the _Lucrehulk_-class control ships. "Arsix, prepare to reverse the thrusters." The astromech copilot whistled and beeped its response. Saesee flew straight towards the narrow gap between the antennae, despite the danger. At the last second, he turned his interceptor sideways and flew safely through the gap. He leveled out and the missiles crashed into the antennae.

Back on the _Guarlara_, Agen was barking orders to the clone officers on the bridge. He activated his wrist comlink and said, "Master Tiin, we're being harassed by some droid fighters. We could use a blaster or two if you're available."

"I'm on my way," responded Seasee. He pulled his fighter around and flew back to the cruiser and began picking off the fighters.

On the bridge, a clone officer reported, "Sir! We've got a fleet of Republic cruisers coming out of hyperspace!"

Agen grinned. "Ah, reinforcements."

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi looked out the viewport on the bridge of the <em>Negotiator<em>. They were about to drop out of hyperspace, and the view was occupied by long streaks of light flying past. But, in a matter of seconds, Obi-Wan saw Coruscant surrounded by warships.

He stroked his bearded chin. "So it's true. We _have_ been attacked." Obi-Wan never thought it was possible, what with the hyperspace route security restrictions and the blockade of Republic star destroyers surrounding the planet. "How could the Separatists get through all the security measures we set in place?"

"It doesn't matter now," said Anakin. "Right now, all that matters is that we rescue the chancellor."

Obi-Wan could sense the determination in his former apprentice. "Remember what we discussed, Anakin. We have a plan…"

"And what if it doesn't work?" snapped Anakin. "If your plan fails, the chancellor is dead!"

Obi-Wan wanted to argue further, but he knew that trying to restrain Anakin was pointless. "It's time to go." He turned to the officer next to him and said, "Take over, Admiral. Do what you can to hold the Separatist fleet."

"Yes, sir," affirmed Admiral Yularen. "Good luck, Generals."

Obi-Wan gave Yularen a sidelong glance and warned, "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck." He and Anakin left the bridge and headed down to the hanger where their Jedi interceptors were waiting.

Once they were gone, Yularen began giving orders. "All personnel, man your battle stations. Prepare the guns and load them with fresh turbolaser batteries. Raise the shields." As the clones aboard the ship hustled to work, Yularen went up to the holomap projector and typed in a communication frequency. Mace Windu's hologram sprang up. "General Windu, we've arrived at Coruscant and the Jedi are on their way. We are preparing the fleet for attack."

"Good work, Admiral," replied Mace. "I wish you luck."

Yularen smiled. "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker felt his heart pounding like a heavy drum in his chest. He could barely hear the roar of his interceptor's engines as he flew past a <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyer, wing-to-wing with Obi-Wan Kenobi's fighter. All of his senses were focused on the battle he was flying into, and in the middle of which his closest mentor was being held prisoner.

Anakin's yellow and Obi-Wan's red interceptors flew in synchronization, opening the four wing-tipped S-foils at the same time as they entered the battlefield. They flew through waves of fighters, past enormous battleships, dodging explosions and flying debris, straight towards the _Invisible Hand_.

"Master," said Anakin into his comlink headset, "General Grievous' command ship is directly ahead – the one crawling with vulture droids."

"Oh, I see it," replied Obi-Wan. He added sarcastically, "Oh, this is going to be easy."

There must have been a hundred vulture droids walking on the surface of the _Invisible Hand_. One by one, the droids leapt into space and their legs converted to four long, slender wings.

As the droids flew towards the Jedi, Obi-Wan spoke into his headset. "Oddball, do you copy?"

"Copy, General Kenobi," replied a clone from the cockpit of an ARC-170 starfighter.

"Mark my position. Form your squad up behind me."

"We're on your tail." Oddball addressed the rest of his squad. "Set S-foils into the attack position." The four small wings on each fighter opened away from the main wings, and the pilots pushed their ships to drop behind the Jedi interceptors.

The clone and droid fighters drew closer to each other, and soon they would be within each other's firing range. "This is where the fun begins," muttered Anakin.

* * *

><p>Under Admiral Yularen's command, the fleet of star destroyers had entered the battle and began exchanging fire with the Separatist ships. The dorsal hanger doors on each star destroyer slid open and swarms of ARC-170 starfighters flew out. Some nearby <em>Munificent<em>-class frigates, however, fired their turrets at the hangers, attempting to destroy the fighters as they took off. Fifteen fighters were hit and slid across the hulls of the cruisers before breaking apart and hurtling into space.

Yularen watched the battle from the bridge of the _Negotiator_. "Fighter groups one and two, bomb as many of those frigates as you can. Aim for their critical systems. Groups three and four, engage those droid fighters!"

All of the clone pilots began talking at once, making it hard to hear what they were saying, though Yularen was pretty sure they were affirming their understanding of his orders. The fighters then split into two groups, one group bombing the frigates and the other dogfighting with the droids. Once he was sure his orders were being carried out, Yularen went to the back room and leaned over the holomap, which was displaying the battle. The holograms of the captains of the other cruisers in the fleet were there, too.

"We need to clear a path for the generals," decided Yularen. "They can't rescue the chancellor if the entire droid fleet is in their way."

"What are you proposing, Admiral?" asked one of the captains.

Yularen gestured at the map as he spoke. "Grievous has spread out his droid control ships to these corners of the battlefield. His command ship is here, in the center, attempting to flee."

Another captain pointed out, "He can't make the jump to light speed in there. He'd crash into the other cruisers and that would be the end of him."

"So this gives us some time," figured a third captain. "I'm just estimating, but given the size and speed of that vessel, and how much distance it needs to travel before it's clear for the jump, I'd say we have maybe two-and-a-half hours."

Yularen continued, "General Kolar's fleet is here, on the other side of the command ship and just in between these two control ships. Some of the droids are operating on radio signals from those ships. If we destroy them, it will greatly increase our chances of victory."

The first captain was skeptical. "But those control ships are the largest and most heavily armed vessels in the Separatist navy. It would take an entire fleet of our cruisers just to destroy one!"

Yularen thought for a while. Finally, he said, "I'll contact General Kolar. We'll see what he thinks."

* * *

><p>On the <em>Guarlara<em>, Agen Kolar listened as the hologram of Admiral Yularen explained the situation. When the admiral was finished, Agen gave his input.

"An ambitious plan, to say the least, but to carry it out is the difficult part."

"That is why we are asking you, General," replied Yularen respectively. "Your military history makes your thoughts on these matters valuable."

Agen chuckled. "Your flattery is duly noted, Admiral. As for the battle, I have an idea."

* * *

><p>In the middle of the battle, no one noticed a small, brown, seed-shaped starship drop out of hyperspace. It zipped around the battlecruisers, never suffering so much as a scratch as it flew into the main hanger of the <em>Invisible Hand<em>.

General Grievous, his MagnaGuard bodyguards, and thirty battle droids were lined up in the hanger watching as the ship landed. The back hatch opened and Count Dooku strode out, proud and tall. As he descended the ramp, Grievous bowed his head. "Count Dooku, we are honored by your presence."

Dooku walked past Grievous, who fell into step beside him. "You may dispense with the pleasantries, General. I am here to take care of any Jedi who attempt to rescue Chancellor Palpatine."

"My lord, I assure you, this is unnecessary. If any Jedi board this ship, they will never make it beyond the hanger."

"I admire your confidence, Grievous," said Dooku without glancing at the cyborg. "However, it does not change anything. The Jedi will try to rescue the chancellor, even if you believe it's impossible."

Grievous didn't want to think he was wrong. He knew that a single flaw could ruin an entire plan. But Dooku was a Sith Lord, and Grievous' superior, so he would have to trust his judgment. "As you wish, my lord."

Together, the two villains left the hanger and proceeded towards their prisoner.

* * *

><p>Eight LAATi gunships and four LAAT/c dropships carrying clone troopers and AT-TE walkers took off from the hanger of the _Negotiator_ and flew towards the nearest _Lucrehulk_-class droid control ship. They were accompanied by two ARC-170 fighter escorts and followed by one _Venator_-class star destroyer.

As Admiral Yularen watched the ships depart, he reported into his comlink, "General Kolar, the gunships are away."

"Very good," responded Agen Kolar. "Master Tiin, have you assembled your fighters?"

In his Jedi interceptor, Saesee Tiin answered, "We are on our way." The interceptor was followed by a squad of ARC-170s towards another control ship. They were also escorted by a star destroyer.

"Everything is set, Admiral," reported Agen. "I will meet you at General Grievous' command ship." The two command cruisers turned towards the center of the battle and began to close in on the _Invisible Hand_.

The gunships each carried thirty clone troopers and were crewed by a pilot, copilot, and four gunners. The gunners operated side- and wing-mounted bubble turrets, each of which was armed with a composite beam cannon, which fired a continuous laser beam that could tear through enemies.

The dropships were slightly larger and only had one pilot, who controlled the three laser cannons. The dropships didn't carry clone troopers, but had two powerful magnetic arms that could carry certain vehicles.

One problem with the gunships was that there were no seats. Instead, there were handles hanging from the ceiling which the clones had to cling onto while the gunships wove through the battle zone. As the pilot of the lead gunship dodged lasers and fired its cannons at the droid fighters, he announced, "Hang on back there!"

"What do you think we're trying to do?" replied a clone.

The LAATs were soon being trailed by three droid tri-fighters, which fired their lasers at them. Realizing they were being shot at, the gunships' copilots returned fire with the rear-mounted laser cannons. The droid fighters were smaller and faster, and were able to dodge the blaster bolts, but the gunships slowly began to succumb to damage.

A series of laser bolts hit one gunship's wing, causing it to break off. The gunship spiraled out of control and crashed into a star destroyer. Another gunship's left blast doors were blown apart, and the clone troopers were sucked into the vacuum of space. Two missiles caused a dropship to blow up, sending the AT-TE tumbling through space, with the clone troopers still inside unable to steer.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Saesee Tiin led his squadron of ARC-170 starfighters through the battle. Soon, they arrived at their target: a droid control ship. These vessels resembled giant grey rings with a piece of their circumference missing at the front, and a rectangular back with three round engines. They were three kilometers in diameter and a spherical core ship was enclosed within the circle.<p>

If the size and shape of the battlecruisers wasn't impressive enough, their power surely was. These ships could control battle droids using powerful radio signals. This allowed the Neimoidian commanders to lead battles from the safety of the core ships. And with 185 quad-laser batteries, 520 laser cannons, and 50 turbolasers, the _Lucrehulk_-class control ships were the most powerful vessels in the Separatist navy.

Yet, the Jedi Master and brave clones were determined to destroy one of them. Saesee encouraged his men through his headset. "Fear not, pilots. Remember the plan and focus on the target."

"For the chancellor!" rallied a clone.

"For the chancellor!" repeated the other clones.

As the fighters neared the cruiser, the guns began to open fire. "Evasive maneuvers!" ordered Saesee. The fighters spun and banked to avoid the intense blasterfire, firing their blasters and torpedoes at the cruiser all the while. But the ship's shields were too strong. Saesee switched his weapons to the side-mounted ion cannons, which couldn't destroy, but would weaken shields and decrease power. However, it would still take a long time to destroy the shields.

A pilot grunted as he wrestled his ARC-170 through the shower of flak exploding around him. "This fire is too heavy! I'm going to…" Two turbolaser shots hit the fighter on both sides, causing it to explode.

Another pilot saw the fighter blow up, and he said, "It's no use, sir. The shields are too strong. We're never going to make it."

"Just keep those guns distracted, corporal," replied Saesee calmly. "Let the cruisers do the rest." As he spoke, the squad's star destroyer escort entered firing range and began to pepper the control ship with turbolaser fire. But the Neimoidian commander on board ordered the droids to return fire. Within minutes, the star destroyer burst into flames and slowly broke apart. When the cruiser finally exploded, debris was thrown at the control ship, pounding the shields, but also taking several ARC-170s with it.

In their haste to defend against the incoming star destroyers, the Neimoidians and battle droids didn't notice two more cruisers fly in underneath the control ship and attack from below. Since the vessel's guns were situated to defend from above, it was relatively unprotected underneath. Not too long afterwards, a readout in Saesee's interceptor indicated that the shields were offline. "The shields are down!" he announced. "Commence attack on the cruiser's main reactor!"

"Right with you, General!" responded a clone. "Whoo!" The fighters all turned towards the two hanger bay entrances in the broken section of the ring.

Saesee ordered, "Split up according to group and meet back at the _Guarlara_!" Half of the fighters flew into the left hanger while the other half followed Saesee into the right. "Have the cruisers take out the communications array. Without the droids online, we will have the advantage!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the remaining LAAT gunships and dropships had almost made it to the other droid control ship. "All right, boys," said the lead pilot, "As soon as we're in range, fire your laser beams at the hanger shields. Once we're clear, we're going right in!"<p>

One of the gunners laughed excitedly. "Oh, I'm getting Nunabumps just thinking about it!"

The gunships flew closer to their target, and they soon came under fire from the control ship. That was their cue. "Open fire!" ordered the pilot. On his command, 24 green laser beams emitted from the bubble turrets, piercing the shields protecting the hangers. The shields were drained away, leaving the inside of the ship vulnerable.

"Let's go!" yelled the pilots eagerly. The gunships flew into each of the hangers, landing and letting clones off inside the ship. The remaining dropships set their AT-TEs inside behind the clones. The clones and walkers destroyed the battle droids and vulture droids in the hangers, and then moved on through the wings of the cruiser, shooting any enemies they came across.

A while later, the two groups met at the back of the ship, just outside the tunnel that led to the core ship, where the bridge was.

* * *

><p>Inside the first control ship, Saesee Tiin led the ARC-170 starfighters through the right wing of the ship. Only very experienced pilots would attempt this attack run, as it was very dangerous. They had to dodge support pillars, landing craft, droids, tanks, and cargo. And the ARC-170s were barely able to fit through the doors. Here and there, a fighter would occasionally crash or be shot down, resulting in a mess of fiery wreckage.<p>

As the group neared the end of the wing, the main reactor came into view. It was a large structure shaped like an upside-down dome hanging from the ceiling. It generated an enormous amount of power using hypermatter annihilation. "This is it!" exclaimed Saesee. "Fire on that reactor and turn around quickly and carefully. We could run out of space real fast."

Saesee fired several shots at the reactor, then pulled his interceptor into a steep U-turn and flew back towards the hanger exit. One by one, the remaining ARC-170s followed the same pattern until a flash of bright light illuminated the room. The reactor burst into flames and exploded.

The fighters all raced through the ship at high speed to outrun the flames, which were engulfing all of the droids and vehicles. One clone suddenly panicked through his headset. "Uh oh. I got a problem here. The starboard engine is failing and my speed is dropping!" Pretty soon, the fighter had fallen backwards into the flames. The remaining clones held their breath as the exit grew nearer – and the flames grew closer. Then, at precisely the last second, they flew out of the hanger and into space.

The bridge was suddenly engulfed by flames and the core blew up. At the same time, the right wing of the control ship broke off and what was left of the ship fell away into Coruscant's atmosphere.

As Saesee and the clone pilots flew away from the destroyed ship, they let out victorious cheers. They had succeeded!

"Not so fast, men," restrained Saesee. "We still have one more ship to worry about." He steered his interceptor towards the _Guarlara_, which was approaching the _Invisible Hand_.

* * *

><p>On the bridge of the other droid control ship, the Neimoidian captain reported, "Commander, reports indicate that one of our other control ships has been destroyed by Republic fighters."<p>

"How did this happen?" asked the commander. "It would take an entire fleet to even destroy the shields!"

"It blew up from the inside. No one hit it."

As the commander thought of the possible ways this feat could have been accomplished, he heard blaster shots outside the door. The battle droids on the bridge turned towards the door and held their blasters ready. "Close the blast doors!" ordered the commander. The captain pressed a button on his control console and two pairs of doors slid shut in front of the first. "That will hold them."

No sooner than he spoke did the door suddenly blow open. Through the smoke, they could see a clone trooper holding a rocket launcher. An instant later, over a hundred more clone troopers ran through the smoldering hole and began to fire on the droids.

As blaster bolt flew across the room in all directions, the cowardly Neimoidians either froze in place or ducked for cover. Once the shooting stopped, the aliens peeked from their hiding places, only to be met with the barrels of blaster rifles pointed at their heads.

"Men," announced the clone commander, "The ship is ours!" The clones all cheered in celebration. The commander then continued, "You boys take this Separatist scum to the brig." The clones who were pointing their blasters at the Neimoidians gestured for them to stand up. Holding them at gunpoint, they led the Separatists out of the room. The clone commander then ordered, "Now shut down the droids and man the turrets!"

One of the clones went to the captain's chair and began pressing buttons, trying to find the one he was looking for. Then, the console beeped and an icon displayed a battle droid folding into storage mode. All over the ship, activated battle droids suddenly froze and folded up. In space, hundreds of vulture droids and droid tri-fighters suddenly deactivated in mid-flight and drifted off into space.

* * *

><p>At the top of the tower on the <em>Invisible Hand<em>, another battle was raging. Not long after they had found Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were attacked by super battle droids being led by Count Dooku himself! The droids were destroyed, but Dooku had knocked Obi-Wan unconscious and used the Force to bring an overhead catwalk down on top of him, leaving Anakin to fight him alone.

As their lightsaber blades were locked together, Dooku taunted, "I sense great fear in you, Skywalker. You have hate, you have anger, but you don't use them." Jedi weren't supposed to give in to their negative emotions, as that usually led to their conversion to the Dark Side of the Force. Anakin didn't want to turn to the Dark Side, but as the combatants dueled, he knew he needed a new strategy if he was to defeat the Sith Lord.

He heard Palpatine say, "You can't win Anakin. Only your aggressive feelings can destroy him."

Anakin was surprised that Palpatine would encourage him to do such a thing. But, he reminded himself, he's not a Jedi. Then again, he did have a point. Dooku was a master swordsman, and had yet to meet his match. And, of course, Dooku had committed countless atrocities over the past few years, including severing Anakin's right arm. Anakin figured, perhaps it would be okay to give in to his emotions just this once.

Anakin's attacks strengthened and Dooku was forced to attack more stiffly. When the duel was right in front of Palpatine's chair, their lightsabers clashed again, only this time, Anakin quickly angled his weapon to slice through both of Dooku's hands. Dooku gasped in surprise and fell to his knees. Anakin, meanwhile, had caught Dooku's lightsaber and was holding both sabers in the shape of an X in front of Dooku's neck.

Palpatine chuckled in pleasure. "Good, Anakin. Good." Anakin looked down at the panting Count, suddenly realizing what he had done. He had defeated the Sith Lord, but he had used the Dark Side to do so. Anakin considered sparing him and bringing him back to Coruscant for trial, but then Palpatine said, "Kill him. Kill him now."

Both the Jedi and the Sith looked at Palpatine in shock. Anakin noted with confusion, though, that Dooku appeared even more horrified than Anakin himself. Anakin shook his head and replied, "I shouldn't."

Dooku's face lit up with hope, even though Anakin hadn't removed the lightsabers yet. Palpatine frowned and snapped, "Do it." After a second's hesitation, Anakin's arms seemed to move against his will, pushing the sabers into the old man's neck.

As Dooku's now headless body crumpled to the ground, Anakin's heart raced, and he felt as though he would be sick. What had he done?

* * *

><p>On the bridge of the <em>Invisible Hand<em>, General Grievous oversaw the space battle. But he was eerily quiet, and no one dared to get in his way. He had been frustrated when the Republic reinforcements came out of hyperspace, nervous when Count Dooku arrived, and angry when he learned that two Jedi had landed on the _Hand_.

And he had just received word that the Jedi had killed Dooku and were attempting to escape with Chancellor Palpatine. Inside his head, he was fuming. His coughing had become more persistent and his growling more prolonged.

Finally, the Neimoidian captain, Lushros Dofine gathered what little courage he had and stammered, "General? We, uh, we have just learned that one of our control ships was… destroyed by Republic starfighters."

Grievous whirled around and yelled, "What?"

Dofine gasped and shrunk back into his chair. "And… some clone troopers, the- they landed on one of the other control ships and…" he lowered his voice as he finished, "took it over."

Grievous roared in rage. "You fool! Without those control ships, a third of our droids are gone! How could you not have foreseen such trickery?"

Before Dofine could give another excuse, a battle droid navigator announced, "General, there are two Republic cruisers closing in in front of us on either side."

Grievous looked out the left viewport and saw the _Negotiator_ coming towards them. Then he looked out the right and saw the _Guarlara_ parallel to the other star destroyer. "Prepare for attack!"

A turbolaser shot rocked the ship and Dofine ordered, "All batteries! Fire! Fire!"

Throughout the ship, battle droids scrambled to the cannons and loaded them with explosive capsules. The cannons fired through protective force fields at the two star destroyers, which were also firing as they flew slowly past.

* * *

><p>On the bridge of the <em>Negotiator<em>, Admiral Yularen barked orders to the clone officers as he attempted to balance himself. The ship was rocking violently as the _Invisible Hand_ fired all of its weapons. "Intensify starboard deflector shields!" As the clones carried out his orders, he muttered, "I hope the Generals make it out in time."

* * *

><p>Grievous listened as battle droids recited all of the damage the flagship had sustained. "We're losing power. Redirecting elevator power to the engines." "We've lost our shields." "The nav-computer is malfunctioning." "The stabilizers have been hit!"<p>

The ship suddenly lurched, throwing everyone to the ground. As Grievous stood up, he noticed that several power cells were rolling towards the front of the ship. Then he realized the terrible truth; the ship was going down!

"Magnetize! Magnetize!" exclaimed Dofine. Grievous and the battle droids used their magnetic feet to cling to the ground, but the Neimoidian officers had to grab hold of pipes or consoles. "Reverse stabilizers!"

"Reversing stabilizers," affirmed a battle droid pilot. It tapped several buttons, but the ship was still pointing directly downward.

"Fire the emergency booster engines!" ordered Grievous.

The battle droid pressed a different set of buttons and two rear-facing engines activated. But the ships' position caused the fire to point not away from the cruiser, but towards it, slowing the ship's fall. The pilot steered the upward and the ship began to tilt back. "We're leveling out, sir."

Pretty soon, the _Invisible Hand_ was level and facing forward again. But Grievous wondered if they could still escape.

* * *

><p>Agen Kolar watched from the bridge of the <em>Guarlara<em> as the _Invisble Hand_ plummeted towards the surface of Coruscant, then level out hundreds of meters below the star destroyers. On one hand, the ship was severely damaged, but it would take hours for the cruisers to catch up with it.

So, Agen did the next best thing. "Master Tiin, do you copy?"

"I'm here, Master," replied Saesee Tiin from his Jedi interceptor.

"I'm afraid our cruisers will not be able to continue our attack on Grievous' flagship. It's up to your squadron of fighters to bring that ship down. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master Kolar. We will do what we can." Saesee addressed the other pilots. "All pilots follow me. We're going to destroy that vessel ourselves."

All of the clone pilots responded, "Yes, sir!" and pulled their ARC-170 starfighters around to form a line behind the green interceptor.

The lead pilot said, "Ready your weapons, pilots. We're going to blow up that General once and for all!" As soon as the _Hand_ was in firing range, the fighters began pummeling the ship with everything they had. Explosion after explosion illuminated the hull, and a shower of debris flew in all directions. Then, halfway along the ship, a ring of cracks formed, launching shrapnel into space.

"Aim for those cracks!" ordered the squad commander. "We can blow that ship in half!"

"Look!" exclaimed another pilot. "Escape pods!" Everyone noticed several escape pods jettison from near the bridge of the _Hand_.

"Grievous must be in one of them!" gasped the commander. "Get them!" The clones fired at the pods, and managed to destroy most of them, but one pod still made it to one of the _Lucrehulk_-class battleships.

A light in Saesee's interceptor cockpit began to flash, indicating a message. He tapped the answer button, and spoke. "This is Master Tiin."

"Master," began a voice, "order your ships to stop firing on the command ship. This is General Skywalker."

"Skywalker?" repeated Saesee. "I didn't know you would be here."

Anakin explained, "Master Windu sent me and Obi-Wan onto the command ship to rescue the chancellor. Dooku is dead, but Grievous launched all the escape pods. I'm going to have to try and land what's left of the ship on the planet."

"I'll call for fire ships to assist you," replied Saesee.

"That would be most appreciated, Master. Skywalker, out." The transmission ended and Saesee contacted the other pilots. "Cease fire! The chancellor is on the ship, and the Jedi are trying to land it! Return to the surface and make room for them to land."

"We're on it, sir!" replied the commander. "You hear that, boys? We're going home!"

* * *

><p>Saesee Tiin and several clone troopers were waiting at a large landing pad that had been cleared for the <em>Invisible Hand<em>'s crash landing. The Jedi and clones watched the crash from an LAAT gunship. As soon as the ship had slid to a halt, the gunship flew in to hover outside the bridge. To their relief, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Chancellor Palpatine were alive and unharmed.

After they had been rescued, a Senatorial shuttle took Palpatine, Anakin, and his astromech droid, R2-D2 to the Senate Building, where they were greeted by dozens of grateful politicians, plus Jedi Master Mace Windu. Obi-Wan and Saesee returned to the Jedi Temple.

The crowds parted, and Anakin was soon left alone with Senator Padmé Amidala, his secret wife. They shared a long conversation and hugged for a long time. A few minutes later, they decided to return to their apartment with R2-D2 and Padmé's protocol droid, C-3PO. But just as they neared their speeder, Anakin froze in place. He sensed someone nearby. Someone he had missed almost as much as Padmé.

Anakin turned around and saw his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, standing not five meters in front of him. At first, the two stared at each other for a few seconds, wide-eyed with surprise. Then Ahsoka ran up and hugged her master.

Anakin chuckled. "Did you miss me, Snips?"

Ahsoka nodded. "I've thought about you every day since you left. You have no idea what I've been through these past few months."

Anakin smiled. "I could say the exact same thing to you."

"I heard you killed Count Dooku. How in the universe did you do it?"

Anakin's smile vanished. He didn't want Ahsoka to know what he had done. Part of being a master was setting a good example for one's apprentice. "Well, it's, uh… it's kind of hard to explain…."

"Anakin!" called Padmé from the speeder. "We need to get going."

"Go ahead, Master," said Ahsoka. "We'll hear each other's stories when you get back to the temple."

Anakin nodded his head. He turned to leave, and then turned back and placed a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "I've missed you, too, Ahsoka. I want you to know that I am proud of you and will always be there for you. Soon, we can have a proper relationship."

Ahsoka smiled back as Anakin let go of her and got into Padmé's speeder. The master and apprentice stared at each other until the speeder was lost from sight.

* * *

><p>In the Jedi Council Chamber, at the top of the Jedi Temple, all of the Jedi Masters had gathered to listen to Obi-Wan Kenobi's report. They seemed very interested, especially in what Obi-Wan had to say about Anakin.<p>

"I was unconscious for most of the mission," he explained. "Anakin alone killed Dooku, rescued the chancellor, and landed the ship safely. And he did all of this with me slung over his shoulders. If anyone deserves credit for this rescue, it's Anakin."

Master Yoda's long ears twitched as he thought. "A great feat, Skywalker has achieved. But how, I wonder?"

Mace Windu pointed out, "Skywalker has an unusual relationship with the chancellor. I don't think we'll have any way of knowing what truly happened on that ship."

Obi-Wan was shocked, "You don't trust him?"

Yoda neither confirmed nor denied this statement. "Watch Skywalker and the chancellor closely, we must. Dangerous, they could be."

Obi-Wan couldn't argue with that. The Jedi were already suspicious of Palpatine, and Anakin struggled to control his emotions. But he still wondered; if the council didn't trust Anakin, how could he trust them?


	17. Out of the Ashes

Out of the Ashes (Ep. #17)

* * *

><p>War under new command! Following the death of Separatist leader and Sith Lord, Count Dooku, General Grievous, the fiendish cyborg commander of the Droid Army, has assumed total command. As part of his new regime, Grievous has scattered his forces throughout the galaxy, in a vain effort to cripple the Republic.<p>

Jedi Master Ki-Adi Mundi and his legion of valiant clone troopers travel to the remote world of Mygeeto, a war-torn civilization controlled by the Intergalactic Banking Clan. But fighting to conquer the planet is the least of their difficulties….

* * *

><p>Mygeeto lay in the Outer Rim of the galaxy, where the Clone Wars are predominant. Caught in an ice age, Mygeeto was a frozen planet with a frigid climate, covered in crystallized glaciers and ice canyons. For thousands of years, the planet was inhabited by the peaceful Lurmen species.<p>

But all that changed when the Intergalactic Banking Clan arrived. The money-loving Muuns realized the intrinsic value of the crystals and began to mine the planet. They built industrial cities and used the Lurmen as slaves. The Banking Clan later allied with the Separatists prior to the start of the war.

When the war began, Republic troops were sent to bomb the cities and drive the Separatists out. The Jedi desired the Mygeetan crystals to use in lightsabers and blasters. By the end of the raid, the cities were in ruins, the snow was mixed with ash, and the surviving Lurmen fled the system. Since then, Republic and Separatists forces have been battling for control of the planet.

In one of the ruined cities, twelve Separatist battle droids, escorted by an Armored Assault Tank, were patrolling the debris-ridden streets. One of the droids tripped over a piece of scrap metal, causing all of the other droids to tumble on top of each other. From the turret of the AAT, the droid commander yelled, "Hey! Watch it!"

As the droids struggled to stand up, the one that tripped protested, "It's not my fault! Please don't deactivate me! That debris got in the way."

"There's debris everywhere," replied the commander. "The Republic bombed the entire city. We're directed to tread carefully."

The droids continued their march, but less than a minute after stopping, they heard a low rumbling sound. "What was that?" asked one of the droids.

"It could be another building collapsing," answered the commander. "Be careful!"

The rumbling gradually got louder, and it became apparent that it was coming from the sky. The droids looked up and saw several LAAT/i gunships appear through the ashy snow. A droid screamed, "It's the Republic!"

"Well, don't just stand there! Blast them!" The droids began to fire their blasters at the gunships, but the bolts had little effect. The commander elevated the AAT's heavy blaster cannon and fired five shots. One of the shots hit the lead gunship and it fell out of the sky.

The gunship crashed to the ground and hit the wall of a building. The battle droids aimed their weapons to continue firing, but before they could shoot, the side blast doors opened to reveal nearly twenty clone marines – and a Jedi!

Ki-Adi Mundi activated his lightsaber and pointed it at the droids. "Attack!" Upon his order, he charged at the droids with the clones following him closely. The clones fired their blaster rifles, destroying most of the droids. Ki-Adi used his lightsaber to deflect shots from the droids.

When there were only a few droids left, he leapt onto the AAT and sliced off its two pairs of side-mounted blasters. Then, with one final swing, cut through the tank's driving mechanism. He jumped off just as the mechanism exploded, disabling the tank.

With all of the droids destroyed, Ki-Adi deactivated his lightsaber and approached a marine. "Commander Bacara, what is our status?"

The marine reported, "I think that landing pad over there will make a good staging area. I'll have the other gunships and dropships land there. We can deploy our tanks and destroy any droids we see."

Ki-Adi nodded, giving his approval. "Very well, Commander. You may proceed." He walked away, leaving Bacara to yell orders to his men.

Clone marines were officially part of the 21st Nova Corps. These clones went through intense training to prepare them for specialized missions that were underwater or in space, usually requiring exceptional marksmanship and conditioning to the most extreme climates. They wore special maroon and white armor with synthamesh visors designed to keep out hazardous airborne materials. The vehicles they operated were decorated with unique purple markings to denote their rank.

Ki-Adi respected these clones for their skill and bravery. However, he had doubts about their leader. Commander Bacara took great pride in his corps' reputation, but not his men. He demanded the best from them, and tolerated nothing less. He was known to punish his men in back-breaking ways for failure, and even reassigned them out of the corps. Bacara also viewed Ki-Adi with disapproval, but the two maintained a respectful relationship.

Several minutes later, the rest of the gunships landed on the nearby landing pad as directed by Bacara, dispatching hundreds more clone troopers and marines. Each gunship also carried an AT-RT scout walker. Soon afterwards, three LAAT/c dropships each deployed a UT-AT.

Unstable Terrain Artillery Transports were large tanks that served as both troop carriers and assault vehicles. Unlike other war machines, the UT-AT utilized 16 repulsorlift skis that would adjust to keep the tank balanced on uneven terrain. The point of the skis was so that whereas normal walkers would cause bridges to collapse from their heavy footfalls, the UT-AT could glide across bridges without actually touching the ground.

The UT-AT's body was similar to that of the AT-TE walker, except the base was more rectangular and the weapons included two long medium laser cannons and four anti-infantry turrets. There was also a heavy artillery turret on top identical to the turrets atop AT-TEs. The disadvantages of the UT-AT included its low speed and high elevation, which made it more vulnerable to attack.

Once everything was accounted for, Bacara ordered the troops to form up. After he had finished inspecting (and in some cases, yelling at) his troops and vehicles, he called to Ki-Adi. "The men are ready, General. We may begin our march."

Ki-Adi replied, "Not yet. We don't know what the droids have in store for us."

Bacara walked up to Ki-Adi and repeated sternly, "The men are ready… _now_."

Ki-Adi frowned with disapproval. "If you say so. We may begin marching when you give the order."

Bacara straightened his back and turned to his troops. "All right, you boys. Our mission is to take this city as quickly as possible with minimum casualties. You had all better prove your worth out there. Am I understood?"

The clones all replied, "Sir, yes, sir!"

"Then forward… march!" The Republic forces all marched in unison.

Ki-Adi fell into step next to Bacara. "Next time, perhaps you should keep it quiet. We don't want the droids to hear us coming."

"You don't, but I do." Bacara held his head high as he led his troops. He didn't realize how they really felt about him at the moment.

* * *

><p>The Republic troops continued to march through the Mygeetan city. Every so often, they would come across a Separatist patrol, but the battle droids were easily defeated.<p>

"Keep moving, men!" ordered Commander Bacara. "The droids have set up their base at the city center. If we take the base, we take the city!"

Ki-Adi Mundi added, "But that will also be where most of their forces are concentrated. It will not be easy taking that area."

"They ain't got nothing we can't handle." No sooner did Bacara say this than the ground started to shake. Then, from behind the nearest building arose a towering octuptarra tri-droid, flanked by over forty battle droids, twenty super battle droids, and three AATs. Bacara raised his blaster rifle and yelled, "Hold your ground, men!"

The clones all began firing their blasters at the droids, and the droids fired back. Ki-Adi activated his lightsaber and began deflecting shots back at the droids. The AT-RTs ran forward and attacked the AATs, while the clones in the UT-ATs picked off droid stragglers with the anti-infantry turrets, and the gunners on top fired artillery shots at the octuptarra droids.

The octuptarra droid fired its three blaster cannons as it rotated its head, shooting clones and blowing up AT-RTs. One AAT finally succumbed to the scout walkers' blasters and was blown apart. But several super battle droids began firing their wrist blasters at the clones atop the walkers. Bacara loosed three shots of his rifle and hit the droids' tough armor. This drew their attention to him and they began to surround him.

But Barcara wasn't afraid. He snatched a fallen clone's blaster off the ground and held his arms out at a 180-degree angle. Ki-Adi, noticing that he was in danger, leapt over the droids and landed, standing back-to-back with the commander. They began to turn in circles with Bacara firing shots at the droids and Ki-Adi deflecting blaster bolts from the droids. Incredibly, neither of them was hurt in the fray.

After those droids were destroyed, Ki-Adi yelled, "Push on!" He ran towards the remaining Separatist forces and began slicing with his lightsaber. As the clones and droids clashed, the tri-droid fired a blaster bolt at that hit one of the UT-ATs. It shattered the cockpit windshields and killed the driver. The tank's power began to fail, and it fell to the ground and slid to a halt.

Seeing this, Ki-Adi got an idea. He performed a spinning move that sliced the heads off of three battle droids, and then he ran up to the tri droid and cut off one of its legs. With only two of its legs, the droid tumbled to the ground. Then Ki-Adi left the fallen war machine to the artillery cannons.

In no time, all of the droids had been destroyed, and scans indicated no more droids in the city. At last, the Separatists had been driven from the city!

The clone troopers began to cheer, but Bacara put hold on their celebration. "What are you all shouting about? The battle isn't over yet! This city center will make a good staging base for our attack on the rest of the planet. Start unloading supplies and tend to the wounded. And see if you can fix that tank."

Ki-Adi watched as the clones carried out their orders. Winning the city was quite an achievement. But there was something wrong. He could sense it with the Force. Somehow, their mission wasn't finished. But what else was there?

"Commander!" called a clone, "I think we've found something!" Bacara and Ki-Adi ran up to the clone, who was crouched next to the wall of the largest building. "Look at this." He grabbed a floor panel with his hands and pulled. The panel lifted freely to reveal a shallow drop into the ground.

"A passage," commented Ki-Adi. "It could lead to an underground bunker, or other areas of the city."

"Well if it's droids," said Bacara, "we'd better take them out. We don't want a surprise attack on our own base." He turned away and yelled, "All marines, come here! And bring your weapons."

Ki-Adi lowered himself into the hole. Indeed, there was an ice tunnel, and it was dark. Ki-Adi activated his lightsaber and used it as a lantern. "Stay alert," he told the clones, "There's no telling what's down there." And so he led the clones down the tunnel and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

><p>The Jedi and clones had been walking through the tunnel for what must have been an hour. They couldn't see any light ahead of them, nor behind. All the light they had was Ki-Adi Mundi's lightsaber. The blue glow of the weapon against the white ice walls created a blinding white light, causing the Jedi to shield his eyes.<p>

Some of the clones began whispering amongst themselves. "I don't know. This is just too creepy."

"Oh, don't tell me you're scared!"

"I'm not! I'm just saying something's not right about this. Not even the droids would go through the trouble to dig this deep a tunnel."

Ki-Adi had been pondering this statement for a while already. If the battle droids or the Muuns built a bunker, they would keep it close by so they could get in and get out at a moment's notice. But this tunnel, it didn't end, it just kept going on and on and on. It's almost as though… "Someone's hiding down here."

Commander Bacara was skeptical. "Master Jedi, there are no life forms in this city. Who would live down here?"

"I don't know," admitted Ki-Adi. "The Force is telling me that there's a life-form nearby."

"Oh, of course!" exclaimed Bacara sarcastically. "The Force is telling you." He added in a low voice, "What a load of…"

"Look!" gasped a clone. There was a dim, yellow glow further down the tunnel. It was a torch! And the light showed the silhouette of a person holding it! Then, the person, and the torch, disappeared down the tunnel.

Everyone broke into a run, but they couldn't keep up with the mysterious figure. But a few minutes later, they saw more torchlight, and a small yellow dot at the end of their sights. It was the end of the tunnel! Everyone kept running until they reached the light. When they emerged from the tunnel, they were stunned by what they saw.

"Incredible," breathed Ki-Adi.

"What the heck are _those_ things?" asked Bacara.

Ki-Adi answered, "Lurmen."

* * *

><p>Lurmen were a species of aliens that closely resembled lemurs. They were humanoid, though considerably small. They were covered in gray or brown fur and had long, bushy tails. They also had large, golden-orange eyes with large, black pupils.<p>

Now, the Jedi and clones were in an enormous, underground ice cave, looking at hundreds of Lurmen, ranging in all sizes, colors, and ages. They had apparently built a village of cloth-and-stick tents and had built a garden of exotic fruit trees. All of the Lurmen wore heavy clothing to protect them from the cold.

Upon noticing the clones, the Lurmen stopped their daily routines and stared at the newcomers, murmuring to each other excitedly.

Ki-Adi began putting all of the pieces together. These Lurmen must have fled underground when the war began to protect themselves, bringing all of their possessions and provisions, some of which were given to them by off-worlders. They have been living in this ice cave ever since, probably waiting for the fighting to stop.

Ki-Adi, naturally, wanted to help the Lurmen, but he was afraid that by bringing in all these clones, they would just make the Lurmen even more afraid. "Commander, keep your men here. I'm going in alone."

Bacara disagreed. "Sir, these things could be dangerous. I wouldn't want to see you get killed by a bunch of monkeys."

Ki-Adi looked sternly at the clone. "They're not 'things,' nor are they just 'monkeys,' Commander. These are intelligent beings who are victims of our war. They are not aggressive; there are peaceful. I want to talk to them, but I must do it alone."

Bacara shook his head in disapproval. "I don't think this is such a good idea. We'll be standing by."

"If you're going to stand by, wait in the tunnel. We don't want to make them think we're going to attack them."

After a second's hesitation, Bacara turned back towards the tunnel and the clones followed him inside. Ki-Adi, meanwhile, slowly walked into the village, generating more buzz among the Lurmen. As he strolled through the rows of tents, he smiled reassuringly.

Then, an elderly Lurmen stopped in front of him. His fur was light brown and he supported himself with a walking stick. "Welcome, my friend," he said in a cracked, but cheerful voice. "My name is Katay-Wah. I am the village elder."

The Jedi bowed and introduced himself. "I am Jedi Master Ki-Adi Mundi. I come in peace."

"Oh, a Jedi? Come to fight your war, no doubt, eh?"

"Yes, but I have come to tell you that the droids occupying the city above have been destroyed, and we have secured the city."

Katay-Wah's already-oversized eyes widened even more. "So, we are free to return to the surface?"

Ki-Adi wasn't sure if that was good or bad, so he replied carefully, "That is correct."

To his relief, Katay-Wah laughed joyously. "At last, after all these years, we can live in peace once again!" He began to walk away and continued, "Come, Master Jedi! There is much to do! We must pack and prepare my people for the journey home. And then, once we arrive, we must rebuild the city. Your help is most appreciated, my friend."

Ki-Adi's heart sank. "Wait. You mean you want us to help you rebuild?"

"Of course! It would be nearly impossible for us to do it alone. We will create a new society out of the ashes of the old one."

"I'm truly sorry, Katay-Wah. But we cannot help."

Katay-Wah froze in place, and the cheerfulness was drained from his voice. "What?"

"You heard him," said a gruff voice. It was Bacara.

Ki-Adi turned to face the commander. "I told you to remain at the tunnel."

"I'm not leaving you alone, sir." Bacara turned to Katay-Wah and continued, "Look, Elder, the battle may be over for your city, but for the rest of the planet, it's still going on. If we straggle behind just to help you, there won't be any point in rebuilding."

Katay-Wah suddenly became angry. "You _have_ to help us! That's not a request. You're the reason we need to rebuild in the first place!"

"_Our_ fault?" repeated Bacara, taken aback. "The Separatists are the ones who invaded this planet, took it for themselves, and enslaved you!"

"Until your Republic came and bombed our homes!"

"We bombed the city to get rid of the Separatists!"

"And you call yourselves 'heroes.'" Katay-Wah shook his head in disappointment.

Ki-Adi stepped in. "The Lurmen is right, Commander. We destroyed the city, and everything that belonged to the Lurmen. We should be responsible for rebuilding it. However…" he turned to Katay-Wah and said regretfully, "…the Commander is right, too. I'm afraid we don't have the time, or the energy, to help you at the moment. I honestly would be obliged, but it's not practical."

Katay-Wah thought for a moment and finally sighed. "I cannot force you to help, Master Jedi. It is your choice, but I warn you, the ashes of our world will follow you wherever you go."

Ki-Adi bowed. "I thank you for your understanding, Katay-Wah. Come, Commander. There is much work to do." Without another word, he strode back into the tunnel, with the clones right behind him.

* * *

><p>Ki-Adi Mundi was silent as the procession of gunships flew to the capitol city of Mygeeto. Commander Bacara noticed this and started a conversation. "Sir, is there something wrong?"<p>

Ki-Adi replied, "I fear that we are slowly losing our honor."

Bacara sighed. "Oh, don't tell me you're upset about those Lurmen!"

"It is our job to protect the galaxy and keep the peace. By destroying these innocent beings' homes, and refusing to correct our mistake, we are violating that principal."

"Right now, our principal is to win the war. Let them rebuild themselves. Need I remind you of the importance of this mission? The chancellor himself has assigned us the task. If we disobey his direct orders, we're all doomed."

"The chancellor doesn't realize the importance of life over death. Taking out this energy collector should come second."

Bacara pointed a finger at Ki-Adi threateningly. "If you don't carry out this mission, I will see to it that the chancellor finds out."

Ki-Adi frowned. It wasn't any clone's place to threaten a Jedi. Suddenly, the gunship began to shake. As the clones struggled to hold onto the handles hanging from the ceiling, Ki-Adi asked, "Pilot, what's going on out there?"

The gunship pilot replied simply, "We're under attack!" It was true. From the city below, several AATs and two octuptarra tri-droids were firing at the gunships. One gunship close to Ki-Adi blew up and the wreckage fell to the surface below. "We can't land at the droid energy collector. I'm going to have to let you off at platform on the other side of the city."

"Is it unprotected?" asked Ki-Adi.

"Not in the least, sir! Scans indicate the presence of two anti-aircraft turrets on the platform, and two more on the other side of the bridge."

Bacara pointed out, "We can't land our troops with those guns online. We'll have to go down there and destroy them ourselves."

Ki-Adi nodded his head. "I agree, Commander. Pull the gunships away from the city; except for one. Send a gunship with clone troopers down and have them destroy those guns so we can land."

"You heard the general!" said the pilot to the other gunship pilots. "Gunship 6, land on that platform and destroy the turrets! The rest of you, follow me." The pilot pulled the gunship away from the city. The others followed. Soon, they were out of firing range.

The indicated gunship, however, turned the opposite way. It dodged the blaster bolts from the AA guns and landed on the designated platform. Quickly, the clone troopers scrambled out and took cover behind the various com towers and building remains. Less than a second after they were safe, the AA guns destroyed the gunship.

"That was close," commented a clone. Right after he said it, though, he was shot in the back by a battle droid. More battle droids were pouring across the bridge to attack the intruders, but the clones fought back. They destroyed the droids as they came, but soon the clones were surrounded by droids and the AA guns.

"We don't have any cover out here!" exclaimed one clone, spinning wildly to take shots at droids around him. "Now what?"

Another clone replied, "Let's finish the mission. Get some rocket launchers! We're going to blow those guns sky high!"

A third clone said, "There were rockets in the gunship. Maybe we can find some in the debris."

"How can we get out there without getting our heads blown off?" asked the first clone.

The other clones were at a loss for an answer. Then they heard a clone yell, "Hey, you droids! Look at this!" The battle droids turned to face the speaker – a clone holding a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Blue blaster bolts flew from the weapon in rapid succession and tore through the droids. After the droids on the platform were destroyed, the clone jumped out onto the bridge and fired at the droids still crossing it. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get those rockets!"

The other clones darted from their cover and half of them joined the clone with the rotary cannon, firing at the droids with their blaster rifles. The rest of them began digging through the wreckage of the gunship, looking for the rocket launchers.

Finally, one clone exclaimed, "Got one!" He pulled out a rocket launcher and loaded it. He aimed at the nearest AA gun and fired. The rocket flew towards the gun and blew it up in a fiery explosion. He then reloaded the weapon and fired it at the other turret. It, too, was destroyed.

The second clone whooped for joy. "Yeah! That got them!"

The third clone shook his head. "That was only the easy part. The hard part will be getting across that bridge."

The fifth clone slung his rocket launcher over his shoulder. "We can do it, boys. If we do the job well enough, maybe the commander will promote us to Galactic Marines!"

The first clone picked up another launcher and chuckled. "I highly doubt that, brother." They all stormed across the bridge, firing their rifles at the droids they met along the way. As soon as the other two AA guns were in their sights, the first clone aimed his rocket launcher. But before he could fire it, something obscured his vision. "What the…?" He lowered his weapon and looked up at the thing that was in the way. It was a tri-droid!

Before anyone could react, the tri-droid fired its blaster cannon at the first clone. The impact of the shot threw the clone off the bridge; and the rocket launcher with it!

"No!" gasped the fourth clone.

"It's all right," said the fifth clone calmly. "I've still got a few shots in my launcher." The clone pointed his launcher at the droid, and was able to fire it before the droid shot him. Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough, and the rocket flew into the sky as the clone died.

The second clone picked up the launcher and groaned. "Oh, great! The barrel's been fried. Now we don't have any rockets!"

"How do we destroy that droid and those guns now?" asked the fourth clone.

The third clone peeked out from his hiding spot and took in the situation. He looked at the turret to the right of the tri-droid and noticed there was a small opening between the blast shields that the droid operator could look through. That gave the clone an idea. He picked up his sniper rifle and aimed carefully. When the X in the targeting lens was lined up with the battle droid's head, he fired. The droid's head suddenly flew off its body.

"Nice shot!" complimented the fourth clone.

The third clone ordered, "Get into that turret. Don't do anything until I give the signal." The clone obeyed. The third clone turned to the second. "Once I take out the other turret, take control of it." He turned towards the other AA gun, which was pointed away so that he had a clear shot at the droid operator's side. That droid's head was soon gone.

The second clone climbed up to the turret and pushed the decapitated droid body out of the seat. He climbed into the seat and familiarized himself with the controls. The fourth clone had done the same with the other turret. Once the third clone was sure they were ready, he held a fist above his head, pointed at the tri-droid, and then brought down his fist, as though pulling a handle.

That was the signal they were waiting for. The clones turned their guns so that they were pointed at the tri-droid's head and opened fire. After several shots, the plating covering the droid's spherical head blew off, exposing the burning wiring within. A few shots later, the droid's brain exploded completely, and what was left came crashing to the ground.

With the droids gone, and the AA guns disabled, the three remaining clones cheered. The third clone activated his wrist comlink and called in the gunships. A moment later, the gunships and dropships landed on both sides of the bridge.

Ki-Adi Mundi and Commander Bacara came out of the lead gunship and approached the three clones. The clones stood at attention and saluted. Bacara held up his right hand. "At ease." The clones lowered their hands. Bacara continued, "We need to destroy the droid energy collector on the other side of the city. Chancellor's orders. Now get moving!"

The clones hesitated a second. They had hoped for a more friendly greeting. Ki-Adi, sensing their disappointment through the Force, added, "Congratulations on a job well done. You clones have accomplished quite a feat."

The clones brightened up. "Thank you, sir," they responded simultaneously. Then they walked away proudly to join the rest of the troops.

Ki-Adi turned to Bacara. "You owe them your thanks."

Bacara shook his head. "I'll thank them when the battle's won."

As Bacara strode into the throng of clone troopers preparing for battle, Ki-Adi shook his head disapprovingly. Bacara was a good commander, and he wasn't a bad fighter, either. But he was too focused on his own success. He didn't care about the other clones, or the Lurmen. That's when Ki-Adi made his decision.

* * *

><p>Ki-Adi Mundi, Commander Bacara, and the clone squad leaders were gathered around a holomap projector. It was displaying a layout of the Mygeetan city. Bacara pointed at the map. "We are here, at the south landing platform. The droid energy collector is to the Northwest. To get there, we'll have to go around this cluster of financial buildings and then across this bridge. There are shield barricades at strategic points along the way, and another shield protecting the collector housing."<p>

"Oh, is _that_ all?" asked a clone sarcastically.

"No," answered Ki-Adi. "There are many battle droids and tanks protecting the city."

"They won't be much of a problem for us," said Bacara. "You just take care of those shields. I want this mission completed as soon as possible."

"As do I," agreed Ki-Adi. "Because the sooner we take the city, the sooner we can help the poor Lurmen."

"What?" exclaimed Bacara. "We can't help them! We've got a mission…"

"…which will be completed. Then we will help the Lurmen rebuild."

"We don't have time to argue. Just get out there and destroy those shields."

"I will," promised Ki-Adi. "But, first, you must promise that you will help the Lurmen. I'm not going anywhere until you give your word."

Bacara removed his helmet and sneered at the Jedi's face. "Listen, Jedi; _I'm_ in command of this corps, so I make the calls."

Ki-Adi raised a finger. "You're forgetting, Commander, that _I_ am the Jedi general. I am the person in command, so you are in no position to order me about. Besides, I'm beginning to question your ability to command these troops."

"Excuse me?"

"You don't care about them; only the corps' reputation. You neglect these men just for your own gain. You've only been calling the shots so you can become recognized."

Bacara opened his mouth to speak, but he thought better of it. Finally, he sighed. "All right… General. We'll do it your way. I give my sincere word. I will help the Lurmen as soon as we destroy that energy collector."

Ki-Adi smiled reassuringly. "You're doing the right thing, Commander. Now let's conquer Mygeeto."

Bacara donned his helmet and announced to the clones, "Men, our finest hour has come. We march in five minutes." The clones cheered excitedly, putting on their helmets and loading their weapons. Ki-Adi knew then that the real difference between the clones and droids was their loyalty to one another.

* * *

><p>In almost no time at all, Commander Bacara had lined up his troops to march through the city. Most of the clones were inside the three UT-ATs or driving the AT-RTs. The marines were divided into rows in front of the scout walkers. Once he was sure everyone was ready, Bacara called Ki-Adi Mundi through his wrist comlink. "General Mundi, we're ready to roll."<p>

"Good work, Commander," replied Ki-Adi, who had scouted ahead with the three clone troopers who took out the AA guns. "We've almost reached the first shield. You may depart when ready." Ki-Adi quickly added, "And, Commander, this time, please don't yell."

* * *

><p>To maintain their control over the city, the Separatists set up shield barricades on the roads, designed to protect the bases from Republic attacks. On either side of the roads were two five-meter-tall poles, with a green force field connecting them. The box-shaped generator sat next to one of the poles on the side controlled by the Separatists.<p>

As Ki-Adi and the three clones surveyed the scene from behind a collapsed tower, they noticed that there were super battle droids guarding the first barricade.

"Well, that complicates things," noted one of the clones.

"Those poles are set against the buildings," added another. "We can't go around them."

Ki-Adi had an idea. "I'm going to jump over the shield and destroy the generator myself. Once the droids begin to attack, be ready to shoot them from behind."

The clones nodded their understanding and drew their blasters. Ki-Adi unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and leapt into the air, using the Force to gain extra height. The startled super battle droids began firing their wrist blasters at the Jedi, who deflected some of them in mid-air. As he landed, Ki-Adi brought his lightsaber down on the shield generator. The shield slowly dissipated.

By now, all of the droids were firing rapidly at Ki-Adi, who was struggling to defend himself. The three clones jumped out from their hiding place and opened fire on the droids' backs, where their armor wasn't as heavy. Before they could turn around, some of the droids were deactivated. The rest were sliced in half by the Jedi's lightsaber.

Once all of the droids were destroyed, the first clone commented, "That wasn't so hard."

Ki-Adi activated his wrist comlink and told Commander Bacara, "The first shield is down, Commander. We're moving on to the next one."

* * *

><p>The next few shield barricades were taken out easily. The last barricade was just before the bridge to the energy collector. But when they arrived, Ki-Adi and the clones saw that there was an octuptarra combat tri-droid on the bridge. And if that wasn't enough, underneath it were three AATs and four dwarf spider droids. And there were scores of battle droids patrolling the area.<p>

The third clone shook his head and said, "I'm not going out there. And you can't make me."

Ki-Adi chuckled. "If you insist. We won't be able to destroy the shield without attracting too much attention. I'm afraid we'll need backup for this." He activated his comlink and spoke. "Commander Bacara, do you copy?"

"Yes, sir," replied Bacara's voice. "Have you destroyed the last shield?"

"Unfortunately, no. It's right by the bridge to the energy collector, and it's too heavily guarded. We need your help to destroy them."

"As you wish, General." Ki-Adi could sense the reluctance in Bacara's voice. He couldn't tell if he was worried about the battle, or something else.

A few minutes later, Bacara's forces arrived. They had apparently run into some difficulties along the way, as one of the UT-ATs was missing, along with five marines, seven AT-RTs, and perhaps two whole platoons of clones. Bacara himself was limping a bit, and the armor on his left leg was broken.

Bacara scowled. "One of those clankers shot me, but I'm fine. Let's just get this over with." He walked past Ki-Adi to the shield. He crouched down next to the pole and pulled a thermal detonator off his belt. He activated it and tossed it into the air. The bomb landed on the other side of the shield, right next to the generator.

Bacara skipped back to the rest of the troops and held a restraining hand in the air. A few seconds later, the detonator exploded, destroying the shield. The droids and their tanks, in response to the explosion, began shooting blindly at the smoke. The clones returned fire and the artillery cannons on the UT-ATs fired at the octuptarra droid.

As the smoke cleared, Ki-Adi activated his lightsaber and yelled, "Come on!" He charged through the fray, swinging his lightsaber in all directions, with the clone troopers running behind him. Bacara was skipping behind them on his wounded leg, taking shots at whatever was in his blaster sights.

As they were crossing the bridge, they ran into the tri-droid, which fired a missile at one of the UT-ATs. The missile collided underneath the tank, and the resulting explosion threw it into the air. The droid then began trying to stomp on the clones. But as the first leg came down, Ki-Adi jumped onto the leg and ran up the sloped metal girder. As he did, he held his lightsaber so that the tip burned a long cut and melted several cables, causing the leg to shut down and the droid to sway dangerously.

Ki-Adi jumped up to the droid's head and stabbed its large, red photoreceptor eye. Blinded, the droid lost its balance and fell over the edge of the bridge. Ki-Adi leapt back onto the ground and watched as the immense droid's body fell out of sight.

The group continued to the droid energy collector without any further setbacks. The collector was a high-energy tower that converted matter into energy. The tower was housed in a tall, metal gazebo with shields in the openings. The shield generators were inside the gazebo, protected by eight powerful droidekas, so the clones couldn't destroy them.

Bacara sighed. "It's no use. We can't get through the shield _and_ attack those droids."

Ki-Adi smiled. "You can't, but I can." Before the clones could question him, Ki-Adi closed his eyes and began to meditate. Once his mind was clear of thought, he reached out with the Force. One of the droidekas was lifted a few centimeters of the ground, much to its confusion. Then, the droideka turned around and began firing its heavy blasters at the energy collector.

The other droidekas realized what was happening, and shot at their companion. But Ki-Adi merely twitched a finger and his droideka's bubble shield was activated, protecting it from blasterfire. As the collector was pummeled with more blaster bolts, it began to spark and catch fire. Then a powerful explosion destroyed the tower, the droids, and the gazebo.

The clones covered their eyes to shield them from the light, and then cheered as they watched the flaming mound of debris. Once they picked off the remaining droids, the battle would be over. But Ki-Adi knew there was still one more thing they had to do before moving on to the next battle.

* * *

><p>Katay-Wah stepped out of the ice tunnel and into the light of day. There was no sun, and the world was grey, but he still had to shield his eyes against the light. He was followed by the other Lurmen, who were carrying their possessions on their backs. They looked around at the home they had left and returned to. Ashes rained on the ruined city, and broken battle droids and tanks littered the streets.<p>

Katay-Wah sighed sadly. So this is the mess that the Republic left for them to clean up. The least they could have done was help. But it was too late now. The Jedi probably left already. He cleared his thoughts from his head and announced, "We'd better start rebuilding. Unpack those huts and reassemble them. Find a place to plant those seeds. We don't want to starve."

As the Lurmen went to do as ordered, a low rumbling sound resonated over the city. The Lurmen looked for the source of the sound, but could see nothing. Then, through the smoke, they saw several LAAT/i gunships descend upon the city. Most of the Lurmen ran to hide, fearing what the ships may carry.

The gunships landed, and the side doors opened. Katay-Wah was surprised to see Ki-Adi Mundi and the clone troopers inside. Ki-Adi and Commander Bacara departed the lead gunship and walked up to Katay-Wah. Ki-Adi bowed and said, "Greetings, village elder."

Katay-Wah raised his eyebrows. "So, you've decided to help after all?"

Ki-Adi nodded happily. "It is our responsibility to rebuild what we have destroyed. I've ordered my men to follow your orders. We will get rid of the droids, clear the debris, rebuild the city, and, upon our return to Coruscant, secure trade with you."

All of the Lurmen whispered to each other excitedly. Katay-Wah smiled and replied, "We cannot express our thanks, Master Jedi. We are forever in your debt."

Soon, the rebuilding began. Some of the Lurmen and clones dragged destroyed droids and small debris into a pile. Ki-Adi used the Force to move the tanks and larger debris. Other clones and Lurmen began rebuilding the huts and unpacking supplies.

During the construction, Bacara pulled one of the marines aside. He asked, "Did you or your squad get the core samples the chancellor wanted?"

"Yes, sir," replied the marine. "They're in a compartment on our gunship. The General won't find them accidently, nor will he be looking for them."

"I hope so, marine. If the Jedi find out about the chancellor's superlaser, the war won't end well for any of us."

The clone nodded in agreement and went back to work. Bacara felt some satisfaction from helping rebuild, but Ki-Adi thought they could trust each other. The truth was, in fact, no one could trust each other anymore.


	18. Shadowland

Shadowland (Ep. # 18)

* * *

><p>A desperate campaign! Since the start of the Clone Wars, the lush jungle of Felucia has been under constant attack by the clone forces of the Republic, and the droid forces of the Separatists. The fate of the planet has tipped from one side to the other constantly, until the Republic destroyed the droids and took control of the planet.<p>

But, recently, the Separatists destroyed the Republic base with a nuclear missile, allowing the Separatists to regain a foothold on the system. Determined to take back Felucia, the Jedi Council sends Jedi Generals Aayla Secura and Barriss Offee to fight the darkness that plagues the jungles….

* * *

><p>Two <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers hovered above the jungle planet of Felucia. Upon their arrival from hyperspace, the Republic battlecruisers engaged the Separatist _Providence_-class destroyers and _Munificent_-class frigates in a space battle. While the clone troopers in their ARC-170 starfighters fought the vulture droids and droid tri-fighters, the Jedi commander stayed on the command ship to brief her men.

Aayla Secura was a female Twi'lek with bluish-green skin and two long lekku protruding from the back of her head. She had participated in the Battle of Geonosis as a Jedi Knight at the beginning of the war, but her efforts led to her promotion to Jedi Master almost a year later. She was intelligent and a skilled tactician, though she was at times unpredictable.

At the moment, she was in the hanger of her cruiser, briefing her troops for the battle to come. "Men, you have been chosen for this mission because you are strong and loyal. That is all you need to complete this assignment. The Separatists wiped out the troops we had stationed on the planet, and have entrenched themselves in the jungle. We have received intelligence that the Separatist leader Shu Mai, president of the Commerce Guild, has established a stronghold on the planet.

"General Offee and the 182nd legion were sent here a month ago, but they have not been heard from since." Aayla paused as the clones muttered to each other nervously. When an entire legion of clone troopers disappear without a trace, other clones are sent in to face whatever killed their brothers. "Now, we have received a fragment of surveillance footage from a probe droid that suggests General Offee is being held prisoner in the compound. Commander Bly, you may take it from here."

Clone Marshal Commander Bly stepped forward. He had served under Aayla for a few years now, and they trusted each other like siblings. Bly's armor was decorated with bright yellow stripes, which were barely visible among the dirt that had accumulated over the years. He was dedicated and strict, but kind altogether.

Bly picked up where Aayla left off. "You boys are smart enough to know what the mission is; we go in, rescue the General, destroy the droids, and take Shu Mai prisoner. Now it won't be easy. Because of the dense foliage, we won't be able to land anywhere near the base. So we'll have to go most of the way on foot. The probe droid has mapped out a route for us to take. It's going to be at most an eight-hour hike, so pack only what you need; we don't want to run out of supplies or energy before we get there."

Aayla finished the briefing with "We depart in 0200 hours. Report back here before time is up. Until then, you are dismissed." The clones all got up and walked away in all directions, chattering to each other. As they were leaving, Aayla leaned in to Bly and complemented, "Well spoken, Commander."

"Thank you, sir," replied Bly. "Do you think we should have told them what dangers are out there?"

"Perhaps, but it would only depress their morale. We can only hope we don't meet those dangers along the way."

"We'll be lucky if we don't," said Bly forebodingly.

* * *

><p>Most of Fulucia was bright and colorful. The immense diversity of plants and wildlife made the world look beautiful. But, where there is light, there is also darkness. There were spots on the planet where the giant flowers grew so tall and close together that the area was completely shrouded in darkness. It was underneath this canopy that the Separatists had built the Nigkoe Detention Facility.<p>

This compound was designed to be a stronghold for President Shu Mai and the Separatist battle droids stationed on Felucia. A tall, thick outer wall with battlements protected the central complex of small, round buildings. In the center of this complex was a tall tower that housed the cell blocks and Mai's office.

One of the prisoners in the topmost cells of the tower was Jedi Knight Barriss Offee. Barriss was a young Mirialan, a species of near-humans with pale, yellow skin. She wore a black dress and boots and a dark blue hooded cloak. She had several small spots tattooed across her face to indicate her many accomplishments. But now, she was trapped in a cold, dark room and chained to a wall with electrobonds.

For most of the war, Barriss was the Padawan of Mirialan Jedi Master Luminara Unduli. Not too long before she arrived on Felucia, Barriss was promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight and General. The 182nd clone legion was assigned to her, and their first battle together would be on Felucia.

But Barriss' first battle as a Jedi Knight ended in tragedy, as Separatist forces, nocturnal predators, and flesh-eating diseases destroyed all of her troops. Barriss herself was captured by Mai and held prisoner in the detention facility for the past month, living off of wild plants and meat fed to her by the battle droids.

The longer she was trapped in the compound, the more depressed she became. She was still shaken by the loss of her entire legion, and her failure as a Jedi Knight. But she still held on with the hope that someone would rescue her. Then she could redeem herself.

* * *

><p>Shu Mai sat at her desk, watching Barriss Offee on a video screen. When she wasn't too busy with her duties as president of the Commerce Guild, she liked watching the Jedi suffer under her watch.<p>

Mai was an aged Gossam with wrinkled blue skin, a narrow, shriveled head, and a long neck. She balanced herself on two hooves that supported her one-meter-tall body. She wore an elaborate red-and-blue dress and gold necklaces to denote her position.

Mai cared about no one except herself and nothing, save for two things: wealth and power. Her entrepreneurial skills impressed the Commerce Guild enough to secure her job as the president. She often used unscrupulous and illegal methods of getting what she wanted, though she was careful not to tie herself to these acts for fear of being arrested.

As she watched Barriss, a hologram of a tactical droid sprang up on her desk. "Madam President?"

"What?" snapped Mai. "I'm busy."

"Two Republic cruisers have arrived out of hyperspace and are destroying our frigates."

"Do not let them take this compound!" exclaimed Mai. "This base represents our foothold on the entire planet. If the Republic captures it, the planet is lost."

"I calculate that for the Republic to take this base, they will have to slip past our blockade, land far from here, hike along the river, through the trees…"

"I know!" interrupted Mai. "Defend the compound with all that you have."

The tactical droid bowed. "Yes, Madam." The hologram winked off and Mai returned to the video screen.

* * *

><p>At the designated time, Aayla Secura and all of the clones assembled in the hanger and boarded several LAAT gunships. Once everyone was accounted for, the pilots closed the side doors and sealed each gunship. Then the overhead hanger doors opened, allowing the ships to take off into space.<p>

The gunships flew through the battle raging in space, dodging droid fighters and blasterfire. One gunship was hit by a stray blaster bolt and exploded. Some pieces of metal hit the gunship behind it, creating cracks and dents. Then a metal pipe punctured the cockpit canopy, releasing all of the stored pressure. The pilot died as a result from the sudden condition change, and the gunship drifted off course and crashed into a Separatist dreadnaught.

The procession of gunships descended into Felucia's atmosphere and the clones looked at the landscape. They saw plants ranging in all shapes, sizes, and colors. There was also a clear, blue river.

"That's our landing zone." Aayla pointed and ordered, "Make for that clearing, quickly!"

The gunship pilots obliged and landed next to the river. The blast doors opened, allowing the clones to depart. Each clone was wearing a backpack full of supplies for the trip ahead of them, mainly food and medical kits. LAAT/c dropships set two AT-OTs in the shallow water before taking off with the rest of the gunships.

All Terrain Open Transports were eight-legged walkers with open tops. They were scantily armed, therefore not to be used for attack purposes, but could carry up to 60 clone troopers across long distances.

As the clones boarded the walkers via a retractable boarding ramp, one clone asked, "This is all we're taking? Shouldn't we have some assault tank or air support?"

Commander Bly explained, "This is only for the first couple hours until we get to the danger zone. We're going to meet up with some tanks there."

"'Danger zone?'" repeated the clone. "What's the danger?"

Bly simply said, "You'll see when we get there." He walked away to talk to Aayla, leaving the clones puzzled.

* * *

><p>It was nearly midday and the Republic forces on Felucia had been marching for a little under two hours. The AT-OTs were following the river and the clones were in the walkers. Most of them were sitting in seats, but 25 of them had to stand. When they got tired, the clones would rotate between sitting and standing.<p>

One of the clones who had been standing exhaled heavily as he sat down. "The sooner we get there, the better."

The clone next to him asked, "Yeah, but what happens when we get there? We get attacked. How much fun is that?"

"Come on, the only thing they got is droids. We can handle it."

Suddenly, another clone exclaimed, "What's that over there?" Fearing a Separatist ambush, all of the clones jumped up and grabbed their blasters. But when they looked, they saw that it was a false alarm.

Commander Bly observed, "It looks like one of our tanks." There was an All Terrain Tactical Enforcer sitting in the water. It was heavily dented, and there was no sign of movement. "Where are all of the men?"

Aayla signaled for the AT-OT drivers to stop. "We should investigate. Bly, take a platoon and have a look around." The boarding ramps on the walkers extended, and Bly and sixteen clone troopers walked down it. Aayla followed them.

When they arrived at the AT-TE, they had a chance to examine it more closely. There were a lot of dents in the armor-plated hull, but very few blast marks. One clone checked underneath the walker for any damage. "The drive looks okay, nothing's broken; I bet we can start it up again if we replaced the power cell."

Aayla nodded. "There are probably some other tanks that were attacked. I will see if any of them have a power cell we could use." She turned around and ran into the brush.

Several clones headed into the trees. One pointed out some bodies of clone troopers. "But there are only three. And no blast marks on them, either."

As the clone bent down to examine the bodies, his armor shifted a bit and another clone noticed something. "Hey, Davy, your armor's broken."

"What?" Davy looked down and saw that a piece of his chest armor had broken off. "Huh. Must've happened on the gunship or something."

A third clone pointed out, "You can't go into battle without chest armor. You'll be like target practice for the droids."

The second clone pointed at one of the bodies. "Hey, this guy's armor is still intact. Maybe we could switch it out?"

"Good idea," said Davy. He began to take off the body's chest armor.

Bly looked around and shook his head. "I don't get it. The droids attack without using blasters and don't bother to destroy the tanks? And where are all the other bodies? Something's not right."

Suddenly Davy yelped. "Oh my God! Commander, you probably don't want to see this!" Bly ran up to the clones and gasped. When they removed the armor from the clone body, his bare chest was exposed, revealing that a lot of it had peeled away! "Look at this! Poor guy got half-eaten!"

"Under his armor?" asked Bly. "Not even a bug could get in there and eat away. Not without being noticed, anyway."

"Then, what killed him?" asked the third clone. He reached down to lay his hand on what was left of the clone's skin.

"Don't touch it!" exclaimed Bly. "It's a disease. Unless you want it, too, leave those bodies alone." Then he turned to Davy. "And don't put on that armor. Make do with what you've got."

Davy tossed the armor plate into the trees. "Flesh-eating diseases?" he repeated. "There are flesh-eating diseases here? What else is here that you haven't told us about?"

Bly hesitated for a second. He didn't know what to tell them. But, then they heard screaming from deeper into the trees. On the plus side, he didn't have to break the news anymore. The clones could just see for themselves.

Everyone raised their blasters and pointed them at the trees. A blood-curdling high-pitched shriek was heard, and the rustling of leaves. Then six sharp claw-tipped green legs appeared, supporting a thick exoskeleton and a long neck with a long, three-eyed head and gaping fang-filled mouth at the end. The total height of the creature was three meters.

It was an acklay, a reptilian beast that lived underwater, but walked on land to hunt. Its high metabolism gave it substantial energy, but caused it to starve quickly. This acklay was soon followed by five more. And they saw the clones as an excellent meal.

One of the clones leaned in toward another and muttered, "And you said it was pretty here."

* * *

><p>What followed the six acklay's arrival was deadly chaos. The clone troopers were shooting at the creatures with their blaster rifles, some of them from the AT-OTs, which were firing their four front- and rear-mounted laser cannons. But all of the effort was to no avail. The acklay's hide was too strong, and the claws punched through clone armor instantly.<p>

Three clones jumped out from behind the trees and fired at one of the acklay from behind. But the shots barely did any damage, and the creature turned around and charged at the clones. The clones kept shooting in vain, but the acklay stabbed one clone with its front claw, then the other, and, finally, picked up the final clone in its mouth and bit him in half.

Commander Bly took this opportunity to dive underneath the acklay and shoot it from below. The skin protecting its belly wasn't as strong, and the beast rolled over onto its back, dead. Bly called out, "Everyone, hit them from below! Their hide's not as tough down there." The clones began aiming underneath the remaining acklay. After a few seconds, several clones managed to take down another acklay.

Meanwhile, a third acklay was walking towards one of the AT-OTs. The walker continued to fire its laser cannons, aiming at the base of the acklay's neck. Because the cannons were heavier, the blaster bolts did more damage. Once the creature had had enough, it reared back on its hind legs, screamed, and then pitched forward.

The clones on top of the walkers fired at the creatures within range, slowly bringing one of them down with continuous blasterfire. But another acklay was quickly advancing on the AT-OTs and the clones' blasters were soon out of ammo. One clone saw a rocket launcher on the weapons rack and picked it up. "Vulnerable to heavy weapons, eh?" He raised the launcher and pointed it at the acklay. At the precise moment, the clone fired a missile that blew off part of the acklay's back. The beast shrieked in pain, and then collapsed.

There was only one acklay left, and over thirty clones were dead. The last acklay snuck up behind Bly as he looked around at the scene. The acklay got ready to pounce, but before it could, Aayla Secura fell from the air in front of it and sliced off its front claws with her lightsaber. Then she used the Force to throw the acklay against the trunk of a nearby tree. As the creature struggled to stand up, Aayla drove her lightsaber through its heart.

Bly sighed in relief. "Thank you, sir."

Aayla nodded. "It's our duty and our privilege to survive, Commander." She unclipped a cylindrical power cell from her belt and held it up. "I got this power cell from a gunship that crashed near here. It should be able to reactivate this tank."

Bly took the cell from her hand and ducked underneath the damaged AT-TE. He unplugged the damaged cell and replaced it with the new cell. "That should do it. Someone get in and try it." A clone trooper climbed into the walker and went into the cockpit. He began pressing buttons and throwing switches until the walker hummed to life. Bly whooped and exclaimed, "Yeah, it worked!"

"We'll take it with us," said Aayla. "We'll need all the firepower we can muster."

The clone inside the AT-TE noticed something on the cockpit readouts, so he activated the intercom that would allow him to communicate with everyone outside the tank. "Sirs! Scanners indicate that we got droids coming! Nothing too tough; mostly regulars and supers."

Aayla called out, "All troops, battle positions!"

* * *

><p>Shu Mai listened as the tactical droid reported on the Republic attack. "The clones defeated the creatures, and we sent a battalion of battle droids to their position. I calculate that they will attack, and the Republic's forces will be decimated."<p>

"Do they have any tanks?" asked Mai anxiously.

"They only have two cargo carriers and a reactivated walker from our attack on the last legion of clones. I calculate that they will call in extra forces when they arrive. And if that happens, I will have the anti-aircraft guns ready."

Mai pounded her fist onto her desk. "They must not take this compound, nor may they be allowed to free the Jedi!"

The tactical droid responded, "You have nothing to fear, Madam. There is more to this planet than they have seen."

* * *

><p>The clones stood in a circle around the AT-TE, prepared for a battle droid ambush. The walker's scanners showed that the droids were close, so what was taking so long? Aayla Secura was sitting cross-legged on the ground with her eyes closed, meditating. Once her mind was clear, she saw nothing.<p>

Commander Bly paced in circles around the clones, as though inspecting them. But he was really waiting for the ambush to arrive. He wasn't the only one. "Why would the droids wait so long to attack?" asked a clone.

Bly shrugged. "They're probably watching us right now. I bet they're laughing at us for being paranoid." Another clone snorted at this comment, then fell silent when Bly looked at him sternly. "Laugh it up, bucket head."

Aayla continued to meditate, despite the conversations around her. She could still see nothing, and she was beginning to get suspicious. Suddenly, a red light obscured her vision, and she jumped up and tackled Bly just as a sniper blast tore through the air where his head was just a second ago. "Sniper!" exclaimed Aayla. "Get down!"

All of the clones dove onto their bellies to avoid a volley of sniper blasts whizzing in all directions. A few seconds later, the droids realized that the clones had ducked, and stopped shooting. The Jedi and clones waited a moment before jumping up, weapons loaded.

Soon after, battle droids and super battle droids emerged from the trees, firing the blasters at the clones. The clones returned fire, shooting down several droids. But more droids quickly replaced the fallen ones. Aayla ran around the battlefield, slicing through droids with her blue lightsaber, and occasionally using the Force to hurl them into each other.

As more droids came, clones slowly began to die. Then Bly noticed a heavy super battle droid with a rocket launcher in place of its left arm. The droid raised the launcher and aimed at the AT-TE. Bly reacted quickly and stopped the droid with three shots from his blaster rifle. More heavy droids came, and Bly warned, "Protect the tanks! Those heavy droids are our primary targets!"

On Bly's command, all of the clones attacked the heavy droids whenever they appeared. However, like super battle droids, their armor was thick and hard to destroy, and it was hard to tell the two apart. Also, the regular droids had less chance of being destroyed, allowing them to sneak past the clones.

After a while, the droids began attack from behind. They began shooting at the clones on top of the AT-OTs, eliminating the high-ground shooters. Two heavy droids fired their rockets, one at the AT-OT's main drive, and the other at the cockpit. Two explosions knocked the walker over and fried the controls. Fifteen clones were killed in the explosion.

Hearing the AT-OT's destruction, Aayla whirled around and used the Force to smash the two heavy droids into each other. Then she returned to fighting the remaining droids. After a while, the droids stopped coming. The AT-TE and one AT-OT were still intact, and there were a little over 70 clones still alive. The ambush was over, but the battle was far from.

"There's no time to celebrate," reminded Aayla. "Tend to the wounded and salvage whatever you can from the destroyed walker. Then, we must continue." As the clones went to do as ordered, Aayla pulled out a holoprojector displaying a map of Felucia. She studied the path they had yet to take and estimated how much time they needed.

She noted their current position and looked in the direction they had to travel. They had to continue to follow the river for an hour or two until they reach the lake, and then arrive at the edge of the jungle, where air support would drop off more tanks. Then they would march through the jungle to arrive at Shu Mai's compound, where they had to rescue Barriss Offee.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Barriss Offee was still being held prisoner in the compound's tower. When she learned that the Republic was coming, she knew she had to help somehow. She may have been bruised and broken, but she still had the Force. However, her bonds diminished her ability to use it, so she had spent quite a while meditating. She knew that if she concentrated hard enough, she could use the Force to perform a simple task; to free herself.<p>

She felt the electrobonds slowly opening, but she also felt them stinging her. She held her breath and continued to concentrate, and the bonds finally opened. She fell to the floor, panting heavily. Once she recovered, she got up and looked around for her lightsaber. She couldn't find it anywhere.

She reminded herself that she didn't need her weapon; the Force was her ally. So she crept up to the cell door and opened it from the inside. There were two MagnaGuards on either side of the door, and they were confused by the door opening seemingly on its own accord.

Barriss threw the droids against the opposite wall. When they recovered, the droids activated their electrostaffs and moved menacingly towards her. She noticed that one of the droids was holding her lightsaber. She used the Force to call her weapon into her hand and ignited it.

Barriss swung her lightsaber at the MagnaGuards, but they blocked her attacks with their electrostaffs. Barriss thrust her lightsaber towards the chest of one droid, but it dodged in time and swung at her head. Barriss ducked and performed a sweeping move with her lightsaber, slicing off the droids' feet. The droids toppled on top of each other, and Barriss stabbed them both in their chests.

She deactivated her lightsaber, but continued to hold it in her hand as she ran out of the cell block and towards the elevators. She pressed the call button and waited. When the doors opened, two battle droids were standing inside. One droid saw Barriss and said, "Hey, aren't you supposed to be in your cell?" The Jedi made quick work of the droids. Then she walked into the elevator and the doors closed behind her.

* * *

><p>Still at her desk, Shu Mai was working on a report when the hologram of the tactical droid reappeared. "Now what?" she asked irritably.<p>

"The Jedi escaped, Madam," stated the droid.

Mai suddenly sprung upright in her chair. "She escaped the compound?"

"Not yet. She is still inside, and has only escaped her cell. Also, the Republic troops have destroyed the scouts and are just outside the jungle perimeter."

"Destroy them! Destroy them all!"

"You need not fear, Madam President. They will not escape."

The tactical droid continued to drone on about the base's defenses until Mai got tired of listening and cut off the transmission.

* * *

><p>Aayla Secura and the clones arrived at the lake into which the river flowed. Once the walkers had stopped, and the clones departed from the AT-OT, Commander Bly called in the air support. They waited for a while until they saw a few LAATc dropships in the yellow sky. But their relief was short-lived, as several red blaster bolts shot up into the sky.

Aayla realized that the Separatists were using anti-aircraft turrets to shoot down the dropships. She activated her wrist comlink and contacted the dropship pilots. "All pilots, turn away! We will take care of the turrets. Land as soon as you're clear." The dropships turned away and disappeared.

Bly yelled, "Grab some rocket launchers and take out those guns! Get moving, troopers!" The clones ran to carry out their commander's orders. Some of them picked up rocket launchers and headed towards the source of the blaster bolts.

The clones arrived at the AA guns, which were all protected by battle droids. But they were easily destroyed by the clones' blasters. And the rocket launchers blew up the turrets.

Once all of the turrets were destroyed, the clones returned to the walkers. The dropships set down another AT-TE and two AT-APs; All Terrain Attack Pods. These walkers were primarily bipedal with two legs protruding from the rear of the command pod, but a retractable third leg could be used to stabilize the bulky machine on rough terrain, or when firing its heavy artillery cannon. It also sported a heavy blaster turret on top and a medium blaster cannon underneath the fuselage.

Once all of the walkers had landed, the troops were ready to move out. As they began marching, Bly commented, "That wasn't too hard." Ahead of them was the dense jungle that protected the Separatist base. But the trees were so close together, the tanks couldn't fit inside. But Bly knew just what to do. "All tanks, blast those trees down!"

* * *

><p>On one of the compound's watch towers, the tactical droid saw the trees at the edge of the clearing fall down in smoke. "Ah, the Republic has arrived just as calculated. Release the beasts."<p>

* * *

><p>The clone forces made it through the trees and into the clearing. But the plants overhead blocked out the sun, making it too dark to see. Aayla Secura ordered, "Switch on your helmet lamps." The clone troopers switched on two small lamps situated on either side of their helmets. The clearing was suddenly illuminated, as was Shu Mai's compound…<p>

…and three bull rancors!

This subspecies of monstrous rancors was very rare and perhaps the most deadly of all other rancors. They were distinguished by their thick bluish-gray skin and four large tusks. They were primarily carnivorous, eating the other creatures of Felucia. But when prey was scarce, they ate the giant fungi, which allowed them to grow larger and hungrier than other rancor species.

The clones yelped upon seeing these creatures and their hands flew towards their blasters. Aayla ignited her lightsaber, casting a warm, blue light on the area. The rancors looked at their next meal and growled with delight.

One clone whispered to Commander Bly, "We're really mad at you, you know."

"Watch your mouth, kid!" snapped Bly.

The rancors reared up, let out a war cry, and then charged forward. The clones fired their blasters as the beasts ran, but the bolts merely bounced off the rancors' hides. As they grew closer, the clones dove out of the way. However, two clones weren't quick enough and were trampled while three others were stabbed by the rancors' tusks. When they realized that their targets had moved, the creatures whirled around and ran back towards the clones, who had continued shooting. One rancor swung its arm at the nearest clone in its sight and grabbed him with its immense claws. The rancor then tossed the clone high over its shoulder and into the lake.

Four clones were running away from another rancor and shooting behind them. But they weren't paying attention to where they were stepping and fell into a shallow pit in the ground. Seeing where they had ended up, the rancor gave up the chase and stalked back towards the other clones. Inside the pit, the four clones found themselves sitting on a pair of five-meter-long vines protruding from a large plant pod. The pit was laden with hundreds of thorns that encircled the edge of the pit.

"What is this?" asked one clone.

A second clone shrugged. "I'm guessing it's some kind of a plant."

"Why didn't that rancor come after us?" another clone wondered aloud.

Suddenly, the vines began to move and the pod opened to reveal a tongue! Before the clones could react, the tentacles wrapped around two of them and shoved them screaming into its beak. It wasn't a plant; it was a sarlaac!

Sarlaacs were very mysterious in terms of flora. It was classified as a plant, though it possessed many characteristics of animals. Its body was buried hundreds of meters underground, with only its mouth exposed to the surface. Its dozens of roots absorbed nutrients from the ground, and its tentacles were used to feed prey into its mouth. The prey would then spend a thousand years being digested inside one of the sarlaac's multiple stomachs.

The remaining two clones in the sarlaac pit yelled and began to shoot the beak with their blaster rifles. The sarlaac screeched and its tentacles swung wildly about, knocking the clones against the wall of the pit. The clones tried desperately to escape, but the sarlaac's teeth prevented them from getting far. Just when all hope seemed lost, the clones were thrown out of the pit by an invisible force. They landed on the ground not far from Aayla, whose hands were outstretched.

Meanwhile, the three bull rancors were still loose, killing the clones. One of the rancors had cornered Bly, and knocked the blaster out of his hand. Bly tried to run, but the rancor grabbed him by his legs and held him upside-down. As Bly dangled, a thermal detonator fell off his belt, but he managed to catch it in his hand. Then an idea hit him. He activated the grenade and held onto it as the rancor's mouth drew slowly nearer. At the precise second, Bly tossed the detonator into the mouth.

The rancor choked as the bomb became lodged in its throat, and it dropped Bly. As he hit the ground, Bly ran away as fast as he could. A muffled explosion emanated from the rancor's throat and smoke poured out of its mouth. The beast groaned loudly, and then fell to the ground, dead.

The second rancor, however, had gone after the tanks. The AT-APs fired their heavy weapons, hoping to pierce the beast's flesh, but they weren't having much effect. The rancor rammed into one of the walkers and its tusks tore through the armor. The walker was disabled and fell over, allowing the rancor to crush it on its way towards the other AT-AP. But before it made it, it was attacked by the artillery cannons atop the AT-TEs. The rancor's skin finally broke, and the blasts began to burn through its muscle and tissue. Finally, the creature succumbed to the pain and died, falling to the ground next to its predecessor.

* * *

><p>The tactical droid laughed in its electronic voice as it watched the rancors attack the clones. "Ha ha ha. I calculated that this would happen. The Republic is doomed." Behind him, the two commando droid guards nodded in agreement.<p>

Then they heard a swooshing sound behind them on their right. The tactical droid turned to face the source of the sound, but all he saw was the droid on the right sliced in half. Another swooshing sound forced the droid to look left to see the other droid destroyed. "That does not compute." As soon as he made this statement, a blue lightsaber sliced his head off.

As the droid fell, Barriss Offee was revealed behind him. She leapt from the tower and landed on top of the second rancor. The creature swung its head from side to side, attempting to see what had landed on it. The surprise only lasted a few seconds, as Barriss stabbed the rancor's eyes. Blinded, the beast roared in pain and stumbled to the ground. Barriss finished off the rancor by stabbing it in the brain.

Aayla acknowledged her fellow Jedi with a smile. "I am glad to see that you are still alive, General."

Barriss bowed. "Thank you for coming after me, Master."

Bly cut in, "I'm sorry to interrupt, sirs, but we should be going. We need to secure that compound and take the Separatist leader prisoner."

Barriss' smile vanished. "I'm afraid we were deceived. Shu Mai left the planet last week. I don't know where she went."

Several clones groaned in disappointment. One of them said, "So, we came here, got past all of the dangers this hellhole threw at us – and it was all for nothing?"

"Do not be discouraged, men," assured Aayla. "We survived, General Offee has been rescued, and the droids are defeated."

"Not quite," corrected Barriss. "There are more droids spread across the planet, and there are some in the lower levels of the compound."

"They must be destroyed before they can call for aid," stated Aayla. "We're going to have to sweep the building."

Bly nodded. "Yes, sir." He turned to the clones and ordered, "You heard the General! Put the wounded under some cover and reload your weapons."

* * *

><p>Safely aboard a Separatist cruiser, Shu Mai repeatedly attempted to contact her base on Felucia. And she was repeatedly met with no reply. "Nigkoe Detention Facility, come in. This is President Mai. I order you to respond! Come in at once! Repeat; detention facility, respond now!"<p>

Mai could only think of one explanation for the prolonged silence; the Jedi had overrun the base. That infernal tactical droid said they would never take the compound! And now Felucia was lost!

Her holotransmitter began to flash, meaning someone was contacting her. She answered the call eagerly, hoping it was the base, only to find that it was the battle droid captain of the cruiser transporting her. "Ma'am, I must inform you that we are coming up on Utapau. You may prepare for departure."

Still annoyed by the false hope she had conjured, Mai replied simply, "Very well," and switched off the transmitter. She didn't have time to dwell on this defeat. She would have to wait and see what General Grievous orders next.

* * *

><p>Back on Felucia, the Republic forces ran to the front gate of Shu Mai's compound. One of Commander Bly's thermal detonators destroyed the gate and the two battle droid guards stationed inside. Bly somersaulted through the smoke and looked around. Once he was sure that the coast was clear, he yelled for everyone to hurry inside.<p>

Once all of the clones had made it into the compound, they gathered around a series of elevators. Aayla Secura ordered, "Group one, go with Commander Bly and General Offee downstairs. Group two, follow me upstairs." Everyone split up according to Aayla's plan.

Most of the remaining droids were found in the upstairs hallways near the command rooms. Aayla and her clones destroyed them quickly. When they turned one corner, they were surprised by two droidekas. The clones tried to destroy them, but the droidekas had already activated their deflector shields and were firing on the clones. Although Aayla deflected many of the shots with her lightsaber, clones were dropping dead around her. Then, she lashed out with the Force and threw the droids back down the hallway. While their shields were deactivated, the remaining clones shot them.

Barriss Offee and Commander Bly led their group into the basements, which served mainly as a storage and maintenance area. Since the lights weren't working, Barriss used her lightsaber as a lantern while the clones switched on their helmet lamps. All they saw, however, were pipes and machinery.

Eying some of the broken pipes, Bly suggested, "General, we should probably go. These pipes are leaking toxins."

Barriss ignored Bly's suggestion and continued down the hallway. "I sense something else. There's more danger down here." A few steps later, Barriss held up a restraining hand and whispered, "Wait. Do you hear that?" Everyone fell silent enough to hear a faint beeping noise.

"What is that?" asked a clone.

Bly didn't know the answer, but he wanted to find out. He listened closely, and traced the sound to one of the storage crates. Carefully, he lifted the cover to reveal its content. It was a massive sphere packed with explosives and a timer attached. "Bomb! Everybody out! It's going to go off any minute now!"

Everyone ran back towards the elevators as Barriss activated her wrist comlink. "Master Secura! There are bombs down here! Get everyone out now!" When they reached the elevators, everyone turned and hiked up the stairs. As they reached the top, they bumped into Aayla and her group. Together, they all hurried out the door and through the gate.

They barely made it. The instant the last clone went through the gate, the building blew apart at its base and the upper levels collapsed. The force of the explosion threw the clones into the air and they landed amongst the trees. Once everyone had recovered, they watched as the Separatist base burned.

"That was close," commented a clone.

"Glad we all made it out in one piece," agreed another.

"We probably should regroup before we go after the other droids," suggested Aayla. "Everyone, return to the river." All of the clones obeyed and walked out of the clearing and into the sun. They were relieved to find food and medical supplies on the AT-TEs. After a long day of running and fighting, they were all safe and sound.

As they sat around the Republic staging ground, Bly stood up and cleared his throat, grabbing everyone's attention. "Uh, I realize that most of you are mad at me for not telling you about the diseases. And the monsters. And the sarlaac."

"You bet we are," interrupted one clone.

Bly continued, "I apologize for that. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you would object to landing on the planet. I should've known better than to doubt you all. I hope someday you'll forgive me."

Aayla stood up and added, "But by facing these dangers and not turning back, you men have shown great courage today. You are perhaps the bravest soldiers I have ever seen."

All of the clones looked at each other with expressions of astonishment on their faces. They rarely received that kind of compliment, especially from a Jedi. But, for some reason, Aayla sensed that they felt ashamed of themselves.

A clone stood up and said, "I forgive you, Commander. I didn't realize just how brave I was until I came here. Thank you for helping me realize my potential."

Other clones stood up and offered their thanks as well. In only a few moments, Aayla sensed that all had been forgiven. She couldn't have been more proud of the clones. Their everlasting loyalty and respect, she knew, was their greatest strength in this war.


	19. War of the Wookiees

War of the Wookiees (Ep. # 19)

* * *

><p>Return to Kashyyyk! In an effort to exact revenge on the Republic for his defeat and capture, General Grievous has sent a vast droid occupation to invade Kashyyyk and destroy the clone forces. The mighty Wookiees, however, will not let their home fall without a fight.<p>

Unable to stop the invasion, Wookiee King Grakchawwaa has called the Republic for aid. The Jedi Council sends a battalion of clone troopers, under the command of Master Yoda, to join forces with the mighty race of warriors and fend off the battle droids….

* * *

><p>A single LAATi gunship flew through the dense clouds of Kashyyyk. But Jedi Master Yoda already knew what awaited him beneath the clouds. Kashyyyk was an endless jungle of giant wroshyr trees and oceans. Its most well-known inhabitants were Wookiees; large brown-furred creatures that barked and howled. They were a kind, intelligent species, but anyone who opposed them couldn't say the same – or anything at all, for that matter!

Yoda had been to Kashyyyk about six months earlier on a mission with fellow Masters Mace Windu and Ki-Adi Mundi. They were sent to investigate a report that General Grievous had established a base on the planet and was kidnapping Wookiees. The reports were proven true; Grievous had been genetically engineering mutated monsters to use against the Republic.

But the Jedi intervened and destroyed the lab, and Grievous was forced to flee. Hoping to redeem himself to Count Dooku, he kidnapped King Grakchawwaa. Again, the Jedi rescued the king and captured Grievous. Afterwards, Grakchawwaa thanked Yoda by bestowing him the title of "Defender of Home-Tree," and vowed to proudly fight beside him. This is the reason Yoda was sent to command the imminent battle.

When Yoda's gunship emerged from the clouds, he finally caught a clear view of the situation. The battle was to take place on a beach in the Wawaatt Archipelago, at the base of the tree-city of Kachiro. This spot was chosen because the foliage didn't interfere with the landing of troops. Yoda saw that both the Clone and Wookiee Armies had been mustered and were preparing for the battle droids' assault.

The hundreds of clone troopers wore special armor designed specifically for missions in swamps, and were backed by a variety of vehicles, including Infantry Support Platforms. ISPs were two-person repulsorlift speeders with a semi-circular base protected by an armored shell. It was powered by a large rear-mounted turbofan that allowed the ISP to skim across the swamps. It was also fitted with two twin blasters.

The Wookiees also had their own arsenal of weapons and vehicles. Most Wookiees wielded powerful bowcasters and sharp ryyk blades. They used twin-hulled catamarans powered by two powerful engines as transports in the air and on the water. They also used ornithopters, which were small two-seated scout craft powered by eight thin wings. Their only weapon, however, was a single rear-facing blaster operated by the gunner.

Wookiees had fought many small wars in the past, but they had never faced the Separatist Droid Army before. They had no war vehicles, and their weapons would be of little use against the droid tanks. Hopefully, with the help of the Republic, they would prevail.

The gunship landed on the beach to let Yoda off before taking off again. There, he was met by the two Jedi Generals who would be serving him: Luminara Unduli and Quinlan Vos.

Luminara was a Mirialan, like her former Padawan, Barriss Offee. She wore a long set of robes and a headdress, all in black. She was known to be calm and patient, and an excellent fighter as well.

Quinlan, a Kiffar with long, black hair and a yellow stripe across his forehead, was very different from other Jedi. He was powerful, having mastered the ability to see memories of people through the objects they held, but reckless and dark. During the Clone Wars, Quinlan fell to the Dark Side of the Force and became one of Count Dooku's dark acolytes. But he was redeemed by his lover, and returned to the Jedi Order.

Quinlan, although a Jedi Master, was still dark in many ways. He acted on impulse, often before thinking, and he didn't trust the clone troopers, thus earning their disrespect.

As Yoda approached them, the Jedi Masters bowed in respect. "Greetings, Master Yoda," addressed Luminara. "We've been waiting for you."

Quinlan chuckled. "I'm just glad you got here before the droids came. Their base is on the far side of this lagoon. What they're waiting for, we have no idea."

Yoda didn't have the answer, but neither did he have time to dwell on it. "Hmmm. Chieftain Tarfful, where is he? Speak with him, I must."

Luminara answered, "He's in the city's meeting hall with the other Wookiee commanders. He plans to use that building as a command center during the battle."

As Yoda stumbled slowly towards the Wroshyr tree using his gnarled gimer stick, Quinlan said, "I wouldn't be too worried about the battle if I were you. We've got enough combined firepower to destroy two Separatist cruisers."

Yoda closed his eyes and meditated. "Hmmm. Greater than we think, our enemies are."

* * *

><p>The Jedi didn't realize that they were, in fact, being watched by an enemy spy. But it wasn't a droid; it was a Trandoshan. Trandoshans were reptilian humanoids with scaly skin and three claws at the end of each limb. Their eyes had infrared vision and their limbs had the ability of regeneration. If a Trandoshan's limbs were cut off, they would slowly grow back.<p>

Trandoshans practiced a culture of hunting and slavery. The more victims they had, the higher their reputation among their society. Trandosha, their native planet, was in the same system as Kashyyyk, thus sparking conflict between the Trandoshans and the Wookiees. To the lizards, a Wookiee pelt was the greatest trophy.

On top of a cliff near Kachiro, a Trandoshan scout lay observing the city through a pair of macrobinoculars. He saw the Wookiees and the clones, the tanks they had brought, and the three Jedi. Upon seeing the Jedi, he hissed. He pulled a comlink out of his pocket and activated it.

"Nobit, this is Mush. The Republic has arrived, and they've got at least a battalion of clones. And there are giant rolling tanks and walkers. _Ssss_. And that's not all; they've got three Jedi. And one of them is that Yoda!"

Through the comlink, a scratchy voice replied, "Argh! They don't ssstand a chanssse againssst our droidsss! Keep watching them, and tell me if they do anything sssussspiciousss. Don't hurt the Jedi, whatever happensss. I will have my revenge!"

After the transmission ended, Mush spotted a large beetle in the grass nearby. In one swift movement, he snatched the bug and tossed it into his mouth. After he had finished his crunchy snack, he lifted the macrobinoculars to his face and continued to watch the city.

* * *

><p>Kachiro was ruled by the Wookiee Chieftain Tarfful. He was a fearsome warrior, but he was also very kind. In the meeting hall in the Wroshyr tree, he and Yoda conversed for a while, discussing battle plans. Finally, they were in complete agreement. They turned to address the other beings in the room.<p>

Luminara Unduli and Quinlan Vos were standing nearby next to Clone Commanders Gree and Faie. Gree was known for his interest and intelligence in alien life, and served the Republic faithfully under Luminara. Faie was rough, by-the-book, and he obeyed orders without question. He had served under Master Oppo Rancisis on Saleucami, but, following Oppo's death, was sent to Kashyyyk with Quinlan. The third person was a Wookiee warrior named Chewbacca. Chewbacca was one of Tarfful's closest friends, and was strong and quick to anger, but noble nonetheless.

Yoda spoke heavy-heartedly and with uneasiness. "Agreed, we have, on how to best counter the droids. Master Unduli, lead the clones along the left flank, you shall. Master Vos, the Wookiees, you will join, charging towards the droids across the lagoon. Remain in the meeting hall, will I, to command the battle."

Quinlan was skeptical. "You expect us to defeat the entire droid army with a small forward assault?"

Yoda answered, "When deactivated, the shields have been, hold off the advancing forces, you must. Know when to retreat, you will," he added reassuringly.

"And what about the oil refinery?" asked Luminara. "We can't let that fall."

Tarfful replied with a series of grunts and roars. Yoda explained, "Erected, a barricade of logs has been, in front of the seawall. Protect the refinery, they both will."

"You can count on us, General," said Gree. "We won't let this world fall while we're still standing."

"Whatever you want us to do, we'll get it done," added Faie.

Chewbacca roared a third statement, expressing his eagerness to fight.

Yoda nodded. "Very well. Your positions, assume."

* * *

><p>Yoda now stood alone in the Kachiro meeting hall. He sat cross-legged on the wooden floor and began to meditate. He was able to sense what was happening on the beach around him. So far, everything was proceeding as planned, and everyone was in position.<p>

In the branches of the wroshyr tree, clone troopers armed with sniper rifles were ready to attack the droids from above. At the base of the tree, HAV-A6 Juggernauts, AT-APs, AT-RTs, ISPs, and BARC speeders sat idle. Quinlan and the Wookiees were crouched down behind the trenches in the sand, waiting to charge. Luminara and the rest of the clones were hiding in the trees to the left of the beach. If the droids made it past the beach, the clones would come out.

Yoda also sensed the droid forces across the water. A bubble-shaped shield protected their camp. There were hundreds of B1 battle droids and B2 super battle droids backed by STAP speeders, dwarf spider droids, OG-9 spider walkers, Corporate Alliance tank droids, and heavy missile platforms.

The tank droids were six meters tall and consisted of one massive triangular drive tread, two small pontoon treads, and two outrigger arms that supported heavy repeating blasters and concussion missile launchers. The HMPs were disk-shaped gunships that were bristling with weapons. The front-mounted head featured two twin laser turrets and one long medium laser cannon. Underneath the gunship were two payload launchers that could each carry seven concussion bombs, torpedoes, or EMP missiles.

Even to Yoda's standards, this was quite a formidable opponent. But there was hope. The droids couldn't fire at the clone snipers accurately, and the Wookiees could effortlessly rip off a droid's arms. Besides, the Republic machines matched the Separatists'. As long as everything goes according to Yoda's plan, the clones would come out on top.

Then, the shield was lowered and the droids began to advance across the lagoon. Yoda looked down and saw the Wookiees rise up from the trenches and let out a war cry. Quinlan ignited his green lightsaber and ran towards the water, with the Wookiees in tow. Before they reached the shoreline, they stopped short, and the Wookiees fired their bowcasters while Quinlan deflected enemy fire with his lightsaber.

From afar, the blaster bolts had little chance of hitting their targets, but several droids riding on the tanks were shot off into the water, and one tank blew up, launching burning shrapnel in all directions. Another tank was grounded when its tread broke. The Wookiees were suffering casualties as well. Here and there, one would be hit by a blaster bolt and be either wounded or killed.

Then, from behind the cliff, the Wookiee catamarans and ornithopters flew over the droids. The Wookiees in the catamarans dropped bombs, while the gunners in the ornithopters fired their blasters. One of the HMPs, in response to this surprise attack, fired a missile that hit the central engine of one of the catamarans. The vehicle's hulls flew off and one of them plowed through the defending line of Wookiees. Most of them dodged just in time, but three were either thrown in the air or stabbed by a broken piece of wood.

Slowly, the defense was driven backwards as the droids pushed forwards. Quinlan realized that they couldn't hold any longer. Now was the time. "Fall back!" he cried. "Back to the trees!" Tarfful repeated the order in his own tongue, and the Wookiees turned around and ran. When the enemy tanks finally hit sand, the battle droids hopped off and marched on foot. But, to their surprise, shots began hitting them from the side.

Clone troopers, led by Luminara, sprang from the trees on the left side of the beach and fired at the droids. But when the droids turned to face this new enemy, they were being picked off from the clone snipers above. And then the Republic tanks emerged from under the Wroshyr tree and began to blow the droid tanks apart.

"Ha!" laughed Commander Faie. "This is too easy! Is this all that they got?"

* * *

><p>As the Battle of Kashyyyk began below, about a hundred Trandoshans watch from atop the cliff. Their leader was a large, dark-scaled lizard named Nobit. He was the leader of a tribe of Trandoshan hunters, and his trophy count had no rival. But there was one head he greatly desired above any other; the head of a Jedi.<p>

When Grievous planned his original occupation several months before, he needed inside intelligence. Enter Nobit. He traded to Grievous information on Kashyyyk's defenses and the Wookiees' battle strategies. In exchange, he was promised the opportunity to kill a Jedi and add his head to his collection. Obviously, he was foiled in his attempt.

When Yoda was fighting the engineered beasts that were attacking the royal city, Nobit was there, hidden in the shadows, armed, locked, and loaded. But before he could fire, Yoda sensed his presence and attacked him. Nobit lost both of his arms and one of his eyes. This explained the gaping scar over his left eye, which was covered by an eye patch.

But he escaped, and his arms grew back. And now, when he heard of Grievous' invasion, he was bent on killing Yoda, thus exacting his revenge.

On top of the cliff, he turned to face his comrades. "_Hsss_, boysss, thisss isss the day we earn our highessst honor! The head of a Jedi! Now, you know the plan. But wait for my sssignal before you attack."

Quietly, the Trandoshans crept to their positions. Ten remained on the cliff to snipe as many clones as they could, forty of them climbed down to the ground and hid under the Wroshyr tree, and the rest stood on the branches of the tree, ready to pounce.

Nobit, meanwhile stood above the command center where Yoda stood. He hissed in delight. "I have you now!"

* * *

><p>Yoda had sat down and begun the process of battle meditation. He was one of the few Jedi with the ability to use the Force to shape the outcome of battles. The clones' and Wookiees' ambush had caught the battle droids off-guard, but Yoda could sense that there was another ambush coming. But it would be neither a droid ambush, nor a cloneWookiee ambush.

Yoda suddenly became aware of the hundred Trandoshans around him. Yoda leapt to his feet and ignited his lightsaber, ready to defend himself. As though waiting for the _psh-vmmm_ sound, Nobit reared up and let out a high-pitched gargling sound. That was the signal for the lizards to attack.

On the ground, forty Trandoshans jumped up and shot at the troops from behind. Before they realized what had hit them, less than a hundred Wookiees and clones were dead. Some of the Trandoshans threw thermal detonators at the Republic tanks. The juggernauts were hard to damage because of their immense size, but several of the smaller walkers and speeders exploded.

On the branches of the tree, the clone snipers suddenly became prey to the Trandoshan snipers on the cliff. Once the clones had been knocked off onto the ground half of a kilometer below, more Trandoshans took their place, sniping the clones and Wookiees on the beach.

Nobit and the remaining Trandoshans jumped down into the meeting hall to stand in front of Yoda. Nobit snarled. "Massster Yoda. At lassst we meet again. And thisss time, you will not be ssso lucky."

"Hmmm," Yoda replied, "Luck? Luck, say you? Luck it is, that reunited us, Nobit. Commendable, are your tactics, but still, too hasty have you been."

"_Hsss_, let him have sssome, boysss!" Upon Nobit's word, the Trandoshans all fired their blasters at Yoda. When the shots stopped, Yoda was nowhere to be seen. But then, an invisible force knocked the Trandoshans off their feet. Most of them either used their claws to hold themselves in place, or just weren't thrown far enough, but two of them were thrown off the platform.

Yoda dropped down from the thatched roof and his lightsaber burned a deep cut in one Trandoshan's back. In response to their friend's scream, the other Trandoshans continued shooting at Yoda. But the Jedi Master jumped and twirled and spun his lightsaber to deflect the shots. He would never be easily defeated, so let the Trandoshans try.

* * *

><p>When the Trandoshans attacked, Luminara Unduli and Quinlan Vos stood back-to-back in an effort to defend against both the droids and the lizards. Then, shots began to rain down on them from atop the Wroshyr tree.<p>

"It's no use!" Quinlan yelled to be heard over the fighting. "We're completely surrounded and without any cover!"

"I agree," said Luminara. "We need to retreat behind the sea wall. We can get behind the enemy and have our backs covered."

Overhearing their conversation, Commander Gree asked, "But, sirs, if we retreat, the enemy will follow us to the oil refinery! If we don't defend it, and they blow it up…"

"At least we will have tried," interrupted Luminara. She looked around, but there were attacking enemies in every direction. "We need some kind of distraction to get past the Trandoshans."

Quinlan nodded. "I think we're going to need reinforcements from the tree to clear a path. I'll try to contact Master Yoda." He ducked behind a crashed catamaran hull and activated his wrist comlink, desperately trying to reach Yoda, who, of course, was too busy with Nobit in the command center. "I can't get a hold of him!" announced Quinlan. He looked around and saw Chewbacca and Tarfful in the thick of the battle, blasting and tearing apart the droids. That gave him an idea. "Hey, Chewie! Tarfful!" The Wookiees moved towards the Jedi to hear what he had to say. "You two look pretty tough, so how about doing a simple job for me?"

The Wookiees looked at each other and barked, which Quinlan took as a "yes." "I need you to go get Master Yoda in the tree and tell him to send reinforcements to clear out the Trandoshans. Can you guys do that?"

Chewbacca and Tarfful roared and ran towards the Wroshyr tree, cutting down any enemy in their way. Quinlan smiled in admiration, which was cut short when he had to deflect two blaster bolts back at a super battle droid. Before returning to battle, he muttered sarcastically, "Take your time."

* * *

><p>The Battle of Kashyyyk was now in full swing. On the beach, the clones and Wookiees battled the droid forces while Master Yoda fought the Trandoshans. Across the lagoon, more tank droids rolled towards the fighting. But Republic ISPs, flanked by BARC speeders, were skimming across the water, blasting the tanks before they could arrive. Unfortunately, the ISPs weren't the only things with weapons, and they didn't even have the most powerful blasters.<p>

Quinlan and Luminara fought next to each other, both swinging their green lightsabers in their contrasting styles. Quinlan fought with strength and vigor, while Luminara was graceful and calm. One battle droid found itself being pulled by the Force into the path of Luminara's weapon, while another was ripped apart by a powerful Force blast. Clone troopers quickly fired their blaster rifles at any droid within their sights. Wookiees blew the droids to pieces with their slow but powerful bowcasters, chopped through their wires with ryyk blades, or simply pulled their limbs off with their bare hands.

Of course, there _had_ to be more enemies. One clone yelled, "Spiders!" Everyone turned towards the shoreline and saw dwarf spider droids break the surface of the water, each one firing its single blaster cannon. And if that wasn't enough, droidekas rolled onto the sand from behind them, and mowed down clones with their dual blasters, safely within their shields. The two Jedi leapt in front of their troops to deflect the blaster bolts, but the droideka shields could not be destroyed.

Then, one by one, the droids exploded. Two AT-APs had walked up towards the shore and begun firing their heavy cannons, which were strong enough to break the small deflector shields. But the walkers' armor wasn't strong enough to defend against the HMPs flying above the battlefield, firing missiles down at Republic tanks. Then the HAV-A6 Juggernauts fought back with their own blaster cannons and missile launchers.

It seemed that no side was gaining the upper hand. The Republic/Wookiee alliance was powerful, but the Separatists outnumbered them on a five-to-one margin. And with the Trandoshans in the city, this was anyone's battle. The hope that the Republic could secure victory lay in the hands of two Wookiees.

* * *

><p>Chewbacca and Tarfful sprinted through the carnage towards the Wroshyr tree. The stood flat against its massive trunk and checked their surroundings. Once they were sure there were no enemies to follow them, they began to climb the stairs.<p>

As they ran, they passed many of the Wookiee huts situated on the tree's branches. All structures were wooden and circular, with the exception of the rope bridges. Also, the Wookiees used leftover machinery from the Industrial Age to build elevators and motorized drawbridges. The huts were covered with cone-shaped sloping roofs and were all different sizes. Most of them served as homes, healing centers, trading posts, and social pavilions.

The huts were situated on branches all the way up to the tree's canopy. But, fortunately, Chewbacca and Tarfful didn't have to climb the entire kilometer to find Yoda. The meeting hall was relatively close to the ground – about a third of the way up. When they arrived, they found Yoda being attacked by more Trandoshans.

Although Yoda was almost 900 years old, the Force kept him in shape. He leapt from spot to spot so fast he registered to some as merely a green blur. His lightsaber swung wildly and moved as fast as his body, deflecting any shot. His Force attacks were so swift and powerful that enemies would be thrown backwards before they knew what happened.

But these weren't scrawny, dimwitted battle droids; the Trandoshans were living, breathing beings who were strong and smart. They didn't fall if they lost a limb, and they could dodge Yoda's attacks. A Trandoshan sniper, standing on a branch, had a clear shot at Yoda and raised his rifle. Chewbacca, noticing this, roared a warning. The sniper turned away from Yoda to find the source of the noise to find that the Wookiee had his bowcaster aimed at him. Before the Trandoshan could react, Chewbacca fired and the lizard was knocked out of the tree.

Now that the Wookiees had arrived, Yoda had an easier time fighting the Trandoshans. He continued to jump and slice and deflect, and Chewbacca and Tarfful fired and punched, until the remaining Trandoshans fled into the city. While the Wookiees were hot on their tail, Yoda stayed behind. Nobit hadn't been killed, nor had he escaped.

Yoda closed his eyes but remained on guard. He sensed Nobit's intentions and jumped out of the way. Nobit had been on the roof, waiting to swing down and kick Yoda. But when Yoda dodged, he slid across the floor and hit a support pillar. But he recovered quickly and pulled out a dual-barreled blaster rifle and began firing shots at Yoda in rapid succession.

Yoda deflected most of the shots with his lightsaber, but usually he had to jump from side to side to dodge other blasts. Then, he leapt into the air towards Nobit. As he drew closer, Nobit fired more shots in the air, hoping one would hit his target. With one swift stroke of his lightsaber, Yoda deflected one of the shots and it hit Nobit in the stomach.

Temporarily distracted by the pain, Nobit stopped firing to nurse his wound. Yoda successfully landed on his head, and Nobit flailed wildly in an attempt to shake the Jedi off. But Yoda scurried across his body like a pesky Kowakian monkey-lizard. Finally, after one swift punch, Yoda was knocked to the ground and rolled dangerously close to the edge of the platform. His lightsaber clattered away onto the bridge and the clip snagged on a ripped strand of rope. Nobit laughed victoriously. "Ha ha! Nowhere to run now, Jedi! Your head will make a fine trophy in my collection. _Sss. _But don't worry; I'll make sssure your demissse isss honored." He drew two gleaming hunting knives and charged.

Yoda didn't have time to call his weapon back to him before Nobit attacked, and any attempt to dodge would send him hundreds of meters to the ground below. But there was more than one weapon available. Yoda used the Force to yank Nobit's knives out of his hand, turn them around, and drive them through the Trandoshan's heart.

Nobit squealed with a lizard-like roar mixed in. He pulled out the knives and cold, red blood spilled out. As blood drained from his head, Nobit teetered and fell to the wooden floor. He held his hand over the wound to try and stop the bleeding, but he became dizzy and disoriented. He lay sprawled, gasping for breath. The last thing he heard was Yoda saying, "One, you are now, with the Force, Nobit." Then, everything faded black, and Nobit knew no more.

Chewbacca and Tarfful returned and saw Nobit's body lying in front of Yoda, who was once again supporting himself with his gimer stick. He used the Force to summon his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt, tucked underneath his cloak. He looked up at the Wookiees and sighed. "Hmmm, greater than we thought, our enemies have proven. Send reinforcements, I shall, to drive back the droids."

* * *

><p>Back on the beach, the Jedi, clones, and Wookiees had encircled their position with destroyed vehicle parts to use as cover. Any attempt by someone to retreat resulted in their death. Quinlan Vos, Luminara Unduli, and clone Commanders Gree and Faie were standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle, deflecting or firing blaster bolts. The other clones and Wookiees were crouched behind the trenches, standing up only to fire a single shot and hope they hit an enemy.<p>

"When do you think the reinforcements are coming?" asked Faie.

"Just keep fighting, and you'll live to find out!" snapped Quinlan.

Luminara, sensing the clone's frustration towards the Jedi's response, answered, "Hopefully, it won't take long."

"I hope so," said Gree, "because we've got company!" He pointed towards the lagoon, where three Multi Troop Transports were hovering over the water – in their direction! If those carriers arrived, they would add three hundred battle droids to the fight. What's more, the MTTs were escorted by four Armored Assault Tanks!

Luminara activated her wrist comlink and said, "All speeders, engage those tanks!"

"What good will that do?" asked Quinlan. "Our speeders failed us the first time. What makes you think they can succeed this time?"

Luminara frowned. "I _know _because the clones were bred to succeed."

They watched as dozens of BARC speeders, ISPs, and Wookiee ornithopters skimmed the surface of the lagoon to face the enemy. The speeders had light weapons that would barely pierce the Separatists' armor, but they were fast and agile. The MTTs were equipped with only two light double blasters in front of their deployment doors, but the AATs had two medium double blaster turrets and a heavy blaster cannon turret.

Once both sides were in range of each other, they began to open fire. One hit could completely destroy a BARC speeder or damage an ornithopter, so it made sense that they were the first to be destroyed, but the survivors circled around the flank and fired on one of the AATs from behind. Since its armor was weaker underneath the inverse slope in the back, it succumbed to ten lasers and exploded, launching flaming debris into the water.

The speeders proceeded to attack the other tanks, but the AATs turned around to face them and drove backwards. The speeders continued to explode, and the MTTs drew closer to the beach. It appeared that all was lost.

But then, something appeared over the trees. They appeared to be nothing more than specks, but they became larger as they drew nearer. Soon, one could discern the shapes, and then the objects themselves. One was an LAAT/i Republic gunship, flanked by three catamarans and three clone ARC-170 starfighters.

"The reinforcements!" exclaimed a clone. "The reinforcements have arrived!" Everyone watched as the craft flew towards the battlefield. First, the ARC-170s flew over the lagoon, firing their powerful laser cannons at the droid tanks. Then, the catamarans swooped over the beach and the Wookiees inside threw down bombs onto the battle droids. Finally, the gunship landed in front of the circle and the side doors opened to reveal Master Yoda, Chewbacca, Tarfful, and Wookiee King Grakchawwaa with some of his bodyguards. The Wookiees fired at the remaining droid forces as the Republic/Wookiee alliance retreated behind the seawall gate that protected Kachiro's oil refinery.

The remaining Separatist forces managed to destroy the fighters and catamarans, but the clones had already barricaded themselves behind the seawall. The gate was locked and reinforced by logs, and some clones were climbing up the ladders to prepare two cannon turrets situated on top of the wall.

The battle droid commander, sitting in the turret of an AAT, ordered, "Get all troops to that wall. We're to blow up that refinery with all of our combined forces."

* * *

><p>Yoda looked around to account for all of the losses. Of the full battalion he had brought, only about sixty clones remained. In addition, there were only thirty Wookiees. One juggernaut was still intact, but heavily damaged. And there was a scattered assortment of twelve Republic vehicles. The losses had been extremely high. Luminara Unduli and Quinlan Vos walked up to him to give their report.<p>

Luminara bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your help, Master. I don't know how long we would have lasted if you hadn't brought the reinforcements."

Quinlan scowled. "It was those Trandoshans that caused all this trouble. I don't know if we have enough troops to defend this refinery."

"Faith you must have, yes," advised Yoda. "Survived, we have. Why not a little longer, hmmm?" The other two masters gave each other inquisitive looks. At that point, King Grakchawwaa came up to Yoda and barked. Yoda smiled in return. "To your aid, come, I once did. To mine, come, you just have. Repaid is your debt. But over, the battle is not. For a full forward assault, regrouping, the droids are."

Commander Gree came forward and stood at attention. "Awaiting your orders, sir."

"In front of the refinery, position your tanks. The clones and Wookiees, line them up in front. When breached, the gate is, fire a volley, all troops must."

Gree saluted and left to order the troops. Once he was gone, Luminara asked, "And if we don't have enough troops?"

Yoda closed his eyes and thought. Finally, after a few seconds' silence, he said, "The Jedi Council, contact."

* * *

><p>Yoda stood in front of a scaled-down hologram of Jedi Master Mace Windu, with Anakin Skywalker standing next to him. They were in the Jedi Temple war room conferring with the holograms of Ki-Adi Mundi and Aayla Secura around the holomap.<p>

"Ambushed, we were, by Trandoshans," explained Yoda. "Aiding the Separatists they were. Wiped out, were most of our forces, and forced to retreat, we were. Reinforcements, we require, if we are to control the planet."

Mace and the other Jedi looked at each other, as though debating whether or not to indulge this request. Mace pointed out, "We don't have many troops to spare. It would take time to round up enough to retake Kashyyyk, and longer still to get them past the blockade."

"We cannot afford to lose Kashyyyk," said Ki-Adi. "If you need more troops, Master Yoda, we can try to send them to you."

"Hurry, do not," said Yoda. "Hold out, will shall. Great strength have the Wookiees, and great heart have the clones."

Another hologram popped up next to Yoda. It was clone Commander Cody, reporting from Utapau. "Master Windu, may I interrupt? General Kenobi has engaged General Grievous, and we have begun our attack."

"Thank you, Commander," replied Mace. After Cody's hologram disappeared, Mace turned to Anakin. "Anakin, bring this report to the chancellor. His reaction will give us a clue to his intentions."

Anakin bowed and replied, "Yes, Master," before leaving. The Jedi could sense that he wasn't happy, having to spy on one of his mentors, but he knew he had a duty to the Jedi Order.

Mace turned back to the other holograms. "I sense a plot to destroy the Jedi. The dark side of the Force surrounds the chancellor."

Ki-Adi voiced the worry that plagued them all. "If he does not give up his emergency powers after the destruction of General Grievous, then he should be removed from office."

Arrested, he meant. The Jedi had become wary of Palpatine's doings, and they were afraid of the power he was collecting. But to arrest him…

"The Jedi Council will have to take control of the Senate in order to secure a peaceful transition," added Mace.

Yoda sighed sadly. "To a dark place, this line of thought will carry us. Hmmm. Great care, we must take."

* * *

><p>Outside the sea wall, all of the battle droids and their tanks marched up. One droid knocked on the gate and ordered, "Open up!"<p>

When that didn't work, the commander said, "I knew that wouldn't work. Bring in the rockets." Several droids with rocket launchers slung over their shoulders came stepped forward and aimed their heavy weapons at the gate.

"Fire!"

On the commander's order, the droids fired their missiles. Upon impact, the projectiles exploded, and the gate cracked and broke. But it did not fall down; the logs the Wookiees had erected held the it in place.

The commander then ordered, "Rearm and fire when ready."

The droids prepared another rocket for each launcher and fired again. More small pieces fell out, exposing the wood underneath. After another volley, some of the logs were broken and fell down. As they fell, they took more logs with them. Now the only thing separating the droids from the refinery was the broken gate.

"Cease fire!" ordered the commander. "I'll make short work of this." The droid rotated and elevated the AAT turret to point at the gate. The cannon fired and the gate exploded. Smoke filled the doorway, so the droids couldn't see inside, but as they marched forward, they were met with a heavy volley of blasterfire. The droids that weren't immediately destroyed returned fire.

The Republic tanks were lined in the back in front of the oil refinery, the clones and Wookiees stood in front of them, and Yoda, Luminara Unduli, and Quinlan Vos stood in front of them all, using their lightsabers to deflect the enemy blasterfire.

The first MTT rolled up to the gate and opened its front deployment hatch. Two racks with 32 super battle droids hanging from them extended outward and dropped the droids onto the ground. The droids activated and began mowing down the clones with their repeating wrist blasters. The clone drivers inside the HAV-A6 Juggernaut positioned the two double laser cannons to shoot the droids. It took a few shots to punch through the droids' armor, so the process went slowly.

But the MTT still held more droids. Through the open hatch, five droidekas rolled out and around the other droids. Commander Gree noticed the droidekas instantly and fired a shot at the nearest one. The blast knocked off a piece of the droid's round plating, causing it to wobble as it rolled until, finally, it fell over and slid to a halt. Another droideka rolling behind it didn't stop in time and hit the crumpled mass. It bounced upward and landed on top of its companion, nestled in the wreckage like an egg in a nest. A clone trooper holding a rocket launcher fired a missile that destroyed both droids.

The three remaining droidekas unfolded and activated their shields. The clones and Wookiees fired at the droids, but the deflector shields absorbed the energy bolts. Then, King Grakchawwaa drew his ryyk blade and held it aloft. After taking carful aim, he threw the sword at one of the droids. Since the blade wasn't made of energy or moving fast, the shield let it pass through. The blade lodged itself into the disk-shaped shield generator, deactivating it. And, finally, a well-aimed shot finished the droid off.

Meanwhile, Yoda had proceeded to droid-hop, jumping onto a battle droid and slicing through its neck before jumping to the next one. More droids were pouring through the gate. Some of them were super battle droids that had concussion grenade launchers in place of their left arms. The concussion energy was strong enough to blow through weaker armor or tear chunks out of small tanks.

Seeing Yoda cutting up their forces, two of the heavy droids each fired one grenade at him. But Yoda, being a master of the Force, redirected the missiles to fly into the MTT and collide with its main drive. A bright flash of yellow-orange light filled the troop carrier and blew it to pieces. Flaming metal soared into the air and landed scattered throughout the Separatist lines. Dozens of droids were either smashed or engulfed in flames.

With the droids in disarray, Quinlan took the opportunity to order, "This is it! All troops, push forward!"

On his command, all of the clones and Wookiees ran back towards the sea wall, shooting at anything in their sights. Realizing that they had been outflanked, the droids turned around and ran in retreat. Grakchawwaa stood atop the juggernaut and let out a deep war cry, urging the Wookiees on. But in their eagerness to defeat their enemy on the ground in front of them, no one thought to look in the sky behind them.

If they had looked, they would have seen six HMPs flying towards them. The droid gunships targeted their enemy and armed their missile launchers. And then they fired. Six vertical jets of flame suddenly appeared in the middle of the advancing Republic forces. Clones, Wookiees, and tanks burst into flames and flew into the air. Suddenly aware of the danger, everyone searched desperately for cover. But they were already in the middle of the beach. They were trapped!

Grakchawwaa, with a determined expression, raised his bowcaster and fired shots at the HMPs, hoping some of them would hit their targets. But the droid brains integrated into the gunships calculated the source of the blasterfire, and fired another round of missiles, this time aimed at the juggernaut. Explosions erupted around Grakchawwaa and the tank, rocking them back and forth.

Finally, one missile collided with the tank, causing the mighty war machine to explode – with Grakchawwaa on top! The Wookiee sailed through the air and landed in the shallow water. Unconscious, he floated on the surface peacefully. If only he had known that one of the juggernaut's massive wheels was rolling in his direction.

The Jedi reached out with the Force to stop the wheel, but it was too late. The wheel had crushed Grakchawwaa, leaving behind blood-red water where what was left of the Wookiee king sank and settled into the sand.

All of the Wookiees roared in anguish at the death of their mighty king. The Separatists had won, and Kashyyyk was doomed. Even the clones were petrified in anger. And the Jedi stood dazed as they felt the loss of a strong Force presence. The HMPs continued to ignite the beachhead with barrage after barrage of missiles.

But then, to everyone's surprise, the gunships were shot out of the sky. After the smoke had cleared, the distinct outline of a descending _Acclimator_-class carrier could be seen. It was being escorted by LAAT gunships and dropships. The reinforcements continued to fire on the fleeing Separatist forces until the droids had vanished from sight.

The clones cheered, for the Republic was victorious.

* * *

><p>The carrier landed on the beach and extended its boarding ramp so that fresh troops and tanks could join the survivors. The wounded were soon treated and the tanks were repaired. But the reinforcements also brought bad news: The Separatists had sent reinforcements as well, and they were landing on the planet as they spoke. The Republic had won the first round, but not the battle.<p>

King Grakchawwaa's Wookiee guards returned to the capitol city to proclaim the news of their king's death. As he watched them board their gunship, Yoda sighed sadly. "Ironic, it is, that die so quickly, after settling our debt, he did."

Luminara nodded in agreement. "These kinds of things happen too often these days."

Commander Gree joined them and asked, "Do you think they will be okay, sir?"

Luminara answered, "I have already spoken to them. They will have to choose a new king; King Grakchawwaa left no heirs. There will be no burial, for the shifting water currents will bury what is left of his body in the sand. There will be a memorial event, and a monument will be erected in his honor. It will read:

_Died for the glory of the eternal Republic/Wookiee Alliance."_


	20. Grievous Raid

Grievous Raid (Ep. # 20)

* * *

><p>The Republic prepares for a final battle! General Grievous, the deadly and fiendish cyborg commander of the Separatist droid army, continues to plague the galaxy. Under his command, the Separatists have invaded countless worlds across the galaxy, spreading the Republic's Jedi and clone forces thin.<p>

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has received intelligence that Grievous has established his hidden base on Utapau. The Jedi unanimously agree to send Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Grievous' long-time nemesis, to lead a massive clone force in an attack on Utapau and put an end to Grievous – once and for all….

* * *

><p>Above Coruscant, five <em>Venator<em>-class star destroyers waited for orders. The clone troopers on board were preparing their armor and weapons for what they hoped would be the decisive final battle in the Clone Wars, which had raged for the past three years. They all kept their target in mind: General Grievous.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine had informed the Jedi Council that the Separatist commander was hiding in the Utapau system. Obi-Wan Kenobi quickly gathered a force large enough to capture three star systems and departed immediately for Utapau to scout ahead.

After several hours, a docking ring with six hyperdrive engines dropped out of hyperspace near the cruisers. It carried Obi-Wan's blue-and-gray Eta-2 _Actis_-class light interceptor. The fighter detached from the ring and flew towards the fleet's flagship, the _Vigilance_.

On the flagship's bridge, clone Commander Cody spotted the ship out the viewport and yelled, "There's the general's fighter. Have all ships ready for hyperspace travel." With the clone pilots busy at work, Cody headed down to the cruiser's hanger to greet his Jedi commander.

But when he arrived, the fighter's cockpit was empty. The ship had been flown by the astromech droid copilot, R4-G9. The droid whistled a greeting and opened the cockpit canopy.

"What did you find, Arfour?" asked Cody.

R4-G9 beeped and chittered a reply, which was translated by a readout in the cockpit.

Cody leaned into the cockpit to read the droid's report. Then he said, "Good. We'll leave immediately." As he walked away, he spoke into his wrist comlink. "Bridge, this is Cody. General Kenobi has found General Grievous. Set your course for Utapau."

A few minutes later, all five cruisers suddenly leapt forward and disappeared into hyperspace.

* * *

><p>Utapau was a rocky planet deep in the Outer Rim covered in sinkholes large enough to serve as entire cities. The sinkholes were created when rock was eroded by the subterranean ocean or acid rain, causing the surface to collapse. The resulting holes could be kilometers in diameter, and deeper than the planet's crust.<p>

The native Pau'ans and Utai built cities on the walls of these sinkholes, where they mined ore and built spaceships. They could travel between the many levels on stairs and elevators, or they could use reptilian riding beasts called veractyls.

But lately, Pau City, the planet's spaceport, was occupied by General Grievous and the Separatists. Thousands of battle droids routinely patrolled the city, terrorizing the Utapauns and restricting commerce. A spherical _Lucrehulk_ core ship was attached to the city's 10th level and served as a Separatist command center.

Grievous sat in the command chair. He felt secure in the position of power. He had once been a warlord of the planet Kalee, leading several battles against the feuding Kaleeish people. His reputation caught the attention of Count Dooku and the Separatists. Dooku approached him and offered wealth and status if Grievous would help build the Confederacy.

But to fight against the Jedi, Grievous elected to have a cyborg body built, and his organs transplanted into it. Thus, he became the dreaded General Grievous. His existence was kept hidden from the Jedi for years, even after he slaughtered so many of them during the Battle of Geonosis.

Grievous' hatred towards the Jedi was overwhelming, especially towards Obi-Wan Kenobi. Grievous scowled at the thought. Too often have they met, and too often has Kenobi escaped. But one of these days, they would meet again, and Grievous would end their conflict… permanently.

His thoughts were interrupted when a skeletal battle droid stepped out of the turbolift. "Uh, General Grievous, sir?" it began.

"What is it?" asked Grievous in his deep, wheezy voice. He began to cough as his respirators clotted. He didn't need to breathe, but his organs still needed oxygen. Sometimes, the system would pause, leaving Grievous breathless, but the coughing spells only lasted a short while. They had become more frequent after the Battle of Coruscant when Jedi Master Mace Windu used the Force to crush his respirator tubes.

The battle droid continued, "A Jedi starfighter landed in the city to refuel."

Grievous suddenly stiffened. "The Jedi were here?"

"Well, he left after they filled his fuel tank. He was probably just stopping on the way to his cruiser."

Grievous knew that the Jedi were searching for him, but he hadn't expected them to search this sector so soon. And if the Jedi's fighter stopped here, the rest of his fleet must be somewhere in the system. They were getting close!

"Summon the Separatist Council," he ordered. Send them to the meeting hall. And make sure the troops are ready to battle at a moment's notice."

* * *

><p>The fleet of star destroyers dropped out of hyperspace over Utapau. If Obi-Wan Kenobi's information was accurate, the clones now knew General Grievous' exact location. However, they were surprised when they couldn't detect any Separatist cruisers defending the planet.<p>

"It's not like Grievous to occupy a planet without a defense over it," pointed out Admiral Yularen. "We'd better stay alert for an ambush." Yularen was the commanding officer of Kenobi's fleet. They had served together through much of the Clone Wars. With any luck, this would be the last time.

Yularen studied the planet through the bridge's forward viewport for a while before heading into the back room to study the holomap. "Commander Cody, any word of the situation?"

Cody pointed at a large sinkhole on the map and replied, "Apparently, General Kenobi has learned from the spaceport administrator that Grievous is somewhere in this city. But we have no idea of the size or magnitude of the Separatist Army."

"It does not matter," said Yularen. "The force we came with is all that is available to us. Quickly, prepare the troops for ground assault."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." Cody left to oversee the boarding and loading of troops and supplies for the battle to come.

* * *

><p>General Grievous surveyed the gathered members of the Separatist Council. They were all wealthy and influential businesspeople. Chief among them were Nute Gunray, the fidgety Neimoidian viceroy of the Trade Federation; Wat Tambor, wearing a methane-based Skakoan pressurized suit, who was the Techno-Union Foreman and Executive of Baktoid Armor Workshop; Insectoid Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser, who controlled the battle droid factories on Geonosis; San Hill, the chairman of the Intergalactic Banking Clan, from Muunilist; and Shu Mai, the Gossam president of the Commerce Guild.<p>

Count Dooku had recruited these beings for their considerable wealth and power, knowing their support for the Separatists would be most beneficial. But Grievous knew better; these beings were cowards who threw their money at their problems and ran. Given his way, he would put them all in a spaceship programmed to take a long flight into a black hole.

But, as tempted as he was, he knew he needed them, especially in these times. Besides, he liked watching them cower before him. Once they had all quieted down, he began to pace back and forth in front of the table and speak. "As you all know, no doubt, we are falling behind in this war." He paused for a moment to let their reactions sink in. They were afraid and angry at the same time. If they lost the war, they would lose all of their power. But, in their minds, Grievous shouldn't be saying things like that. What kind of a leader brings down his inferiors, if that's what he called them?

He continued, "The death of Count Dooku, and our defeat on Coruscant is an… unfortunate loss. But we don't need him anymore. We have the ground we need to win the war. But we need to find a new strategy. Any suggestions?"

The council went dead silent, for fear of being punished. The silence was finally broken when the vocabulary decoder Tambor's suit began to warble. He reached to adjust a knob on his chest that changed the frequency and deciphered his message into Galactic Basic. "Perhaps it is time that we discarded our current troop designs and…" his suit warbled again, and he readjusted the knob, "…prepare a design for new, more advanced battle droids."

Grievous stopped pacing in front of Tambor and considered the idea. "And how long will it take to manufacture these new units? And how much money will it cost us? Time and money are luxuries that we do not have at the moment." Tambor looked as though he was about to speak, but thought better of it. Grievous continued to pace. "Any other ideas?"

More silence. Grievous growled, "That's what I thought. You are all as useless at planning combat as you are at participating in it." The Separatist leaders were enraged by this insult, and wanted to lash out at Grievous even more. But, alas, they were forced to control their anger, knowing what Grievous had the power to do them.

The cyborg continued to speak. "As it so happens, _I_ have a new strategy. My tactic to lure the clone army into the Outer Rim has proven successful. The Jedi are dispersed throughout the galaxy. Now, it is a matter of setting a trap. And I have the means to do so.

"A lone Jedi fighter landed in the city to refuel. I have no doubt he has a fleet nearby. It won't be long before the armies of the Republic track us here." He paused again to let the Separatists look at each other in alarm. "I am sending you to the Mustafar system in the Outer Rim. We have a magma plant on the surface that doubles as a base. Its strategic position defends it from a full aerial assault and a ground charge. It is a volcanic planet. You will be safe there."

Before Grievous finished speaking, Gunray stood, finally relaying the thoughts the entire council had. "Safe? Hmph! Chancellor Palpatine managed to escape your grip. Without Count Dooku, I have doubts of your ability to keep us safe, General."

Grievous leaned in towards the Neimoidian and said, "Be thankful, Viceroy, that you have not found _yourself_ in my grip!" Gunray, cringing, sank back into his chair. Grievous gestured towards the hanger door. "Your ship is waiting." The Separatists stood up and filed through the door.

As the council left, Grievous reflected everyone's actions during the meeting. He was quite pleased with himself for intimidating them so, just using his words. And even when they were angry, and wanted to retort, they were too afraid. He always took pride when others cowered before him. But, then Gunray finally stood at the end of the meeting and insulted Grievous. Grievous silenced him easily – and cleanly – enough, but now the other leaders would be inspired to insult him as well.

Grievous could not let that happen. He would make sure, next time, to be extra threatening. He had a reputation to uphold, just like everyone else. But for now, all he had to worry about was what he would do when the Jedi…

"Hello, there," came a cheery and familiar voice.

Grievous' four MagnaGuard bodyguards whirled around and activated their electrostaffs to face the newcomer. A hundred battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas formed a circle around them all, ready to fire. Grievous turned around slowly and calmly. He knew that voice all too well. "General Kenobi. You are a bold one."

Obi-Wan Kenobi had dropped from the hanger's overhead rafters and used the Force to muffle the impact. He held his lightsaber in his hand, but didn't activate it. First, he looked around to evaluate the situation and determine his best moves.

Grievous cackled and issued a single, simple order; "Kill him." He stepped back a few steps while the MagnaGuards advanced on the Jedi. Obi-Wan activated his lightsaber and held ready stance. But he just stood there. He didn't attack. Grievous realized too late that it was ploy. Obi-Wan used the Force to dislodge a large, heavy cargo module from the ceiling and bring it down on the four droids. His tactic worked; three MagnaGuards were crushed by the module, with the fourth slightly pinned and struggling to free itself. It had just picked up its electrostaff when Obi-Wan's lightsaber passed through its neck.

Obi-Wan strolled casually towards Grievous, effortlessly decapitating the droid. All of the other droids in the hanger cocked their blasters, prepared to fire. Grievous knew that Obi-Wan had more tricks up his sleeve, and he would probably leap just as the droids would fire. All of the blaster bolts would hit the droids on the opposite sides of the circle, destroying most of them.

That wouldn't do at all. There was only one solution. "Back away!" he ordered. "I will deal with this Jedi slime myself."

Obi-Wan gave a devious smile. He knew Grievous would want to fight. "Your move."

Grievous' legs extended to full height and he undid the clasp on his cape. "You fool. I've been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku." He reached both arms to each grip two lightsabers each hanging on the opposite hip. He shrugged off his cape and split his arms in half, lengthwise. He held out his four arms and rotated the wrists so that the lightsaber he held in each hand pointed upwards. He ignited each lightsaber and moved into a ready stance. "Attack, Kenobi!"

Obi-Wan's smile widened, betraying his eagerness to fight. He re-assumed his ready stance and, again, began calculating his best moves. Grievous bent downwards and held his upper arms above his head, while he held his lower arms in front of him. His wrists began to spin at a rapid rate, giving the lightsabers the appearance of two glowing buzzsaws. He began to stalk forward, lowering his arms so that the lightsabers sliced up the floor, launching dust into the air. Obi-Wan slowly backed away, still pointing his lightsaber at Grievous. The cyborg drew closer and closer, until, at the right moment, Obi-wan thrust his lightsaber into the paths of Grievous'. Then the fight began.

Grievous withdrew his attacking sabers and swung with his remaining two arms. Obi-Wan blocked the attack and attempted a strong swing, holding his weapon with both hands. But Grievous was quick to react, twirling all four lightsabers in a single path, one following another. Obi-Wan struggled to hold his lightsaber steady against the repeated attack. Grievous identified this weakness and took advantage of it. As he defended against more blows from Obi-Wan, he adjusted his cybernetic waist so that a single rotating servomotor was the only thing connecting his top and bottom halves. He did the same thing with his neck, so that his torso could rotate 360 degrees independently of the rest of his body. He held out his lightsabers and spun his body, turning his lightsabers into helicopter blades. Obi-Wan tried to lunge, but the force of the blades knocked his lightsaber out of his hand.

Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to summon his weapon back to his hand, but his concentration was broken when he noticed Grievous charging towards him, spinning his lightsabers. Obi-Wan dove towards his lightsaber to avoid the attack and give him more time to retrieve the weapon. Grievous continued to charge, and Obi-Wan didn't have any more room for error. He needed to call his lightsaber. Grievous closed in on the Jedi, and the lightsaber flew towards his hand. The very instant Obi-Wan reignited the blade, he used it to block an attack mere centimeters from his face.

Grievous pushed his lightsabers towards Obi-Wan's face, and Obi-Wan tried to push back with all his strength, but durasteel and servomotors were stronger than flesh and bone. Obi-Wan knew he needed to think of something else quick. He curled up in a fetal position and kicked out with both legs, using the Force to strengthen the attack. Grievous was propelled backwards, and Obi-Wan stood up to continue the duel.

The two combatants rushed towards each other and exchanged a series of lightning-fast blows. They suddenly stopped when Grievous yelled, "Ouch!" and one of his hands fell to the ground, still gripping one of his lightsabers. He looked at the stump where his lower left hand had been severed, then continued to attack more ferociously. A few strikes later, Obi-Wan's lightsaber was locked against Grievous' lower right-hand lightsaber, until he pulled downward slightly, cutting off Grievous' hand.

Grievous growled in rage and stabbed at the Jedi with both remaining lightsabers, causing him to leap backwards. While Obi-Wan was rushing back towards his opponent, Grievous picked up one of his fallen lightsabers with one of his feet, holding it in its claws. He balanced himself on his unoccupied leg and began wielding his third lightsaber in his foot.

He wasn't as agile on only one foot, but this strategy allowed him to attack his opponent's legs, forcing Obi-Wan to cover more of his body with his lightsaber. After blocking two attacks to his head, he angled his lightsaber downward against Grievous' third. Then he would whip his weapon back upright to defend against more blows, and occasionally counterattack.

At one point, Grievous swung with both his arms and his leg, and Obi-Wan held his lightsaber steady against all three weapons. As they pushed against each other, Grievous cackled tauntingly. "You have fought well, Kenobi. But, as you can see, my swordsmanship is well beyond yours."

Obi-Wan replied, "A Jedi does not need a lightsaber to defeat his enemy. We have another weapon that _you_ lack." He flicked his left wrist, and sent a wave of Force energy Grievous' way. The cyborg lost his balance and extended his other foot to catch himself. Unfortunately, when his foot landed, the lightsaber it held was crushed beneath Grievous' weight, combined with the force of his landing. Obi-Wan swung forcefully at Grievous neck, but the general blocked with both his remaining lightsabers. Their weapons locked for a second before Grievous pulled back one of his lightsabers and swung at Obi-Wan. The Jedi leapt backwards, and then prepared to attack again.

Suddenly, blasterfire filled the air. The duelists looked up to see clone troopers attached to ascension cables jumping out of Republic LAAT/i gunships. As soon as they landed, the clones opened fire on the battle droids. LAAT/c dropships set All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer walkers on the roads. But the Separatists fought back. Vulture droids took off to battle the gunships and star destroyers in the air, and the battle droids returned fire at the clones.

The Battle of Utapau had begun!

* * *

><p>Upon entering the battle, Commander Cody looked around for Obi-Wan Kenobi to make sure he was alive. He caught a fleeting glimpse of General Grievous speeding out of the hanger on a Tsmeu-6 wheel bike, powered by one giant high-speed hoop wheel or four clawed legs for walking mode. Then, Cody saw Obi-Wan pursue on a varactyl – a quadruped reptilian riding beast with green skin and blue feathers on its beaked head. Varactyls had five clawed toes and agile legs that allowed them to not only travel fast, but climb Utapau's sinkholes.<p>

Cody figured that Obi-Wan had defeated Grievous, and the cyborg general was attempting to flee to an escape ship nearby. Cody thought about sending a squad of clones to stop  
>Grievous before he reached the ship. Then again, General Kenobi could handle Grievous himself.<p>

The gunship he was on landed on a platform below the core ship. There were battle droids on the platform shooting at the clones. Cody raised his blaster and aimed. He only had to fire three shots before he hit his target, and the droid fell with a burning hole in its chest plate.

As Cody fired, something small and cylindrical fell from the sky and landed at his feet. Cody bent down to pick up the object and noticed that it was Obi-Wan's lightsaber. He must have dropped it chasing Grievous. Cody clipped the weapon to his belt, reminding himself to return it later.

And, speaking of reminders, Cody just remembered that he was supposed to report to the Jedi when the attack began. He ran back into the gunship and stood in front of the holoprojector. He keyed in the frequency that would connect him to the Jedi Temple war room. He immediately saw Master Mace Windu and Anakin Skywalker standing around a holomap.

"Master Windu, may I interrupt? General Kenobi has found General Grievous, and we have begun our attack."

"Thank you, Commander," acknowledged Mace. With his report finished, Cody returned to the battle.

More shots from other clones caused the droid lines to diminish, allowing the clones to push forward. As they ran, Cody reminded them, "We need to clear all enemies from this hanger and secure the area. Then we move out onto the highway and conquer the other areas. We're going to attempt to cut the droids off from their supplies."

One clone turned away and saw something. "Well, we've got a problem there!" Everyone looked in his direction to see several crab droids scuttling their way. They were 1.5 meters long, almost as tall, and had six pincer-tipped legs protruding from their disk-shaped body. They also had two larger pincers in front of their three photoreceptor eyes and two blaster cannons underneath their bodies. Crab droids excelled at crossing marshy terrain and picking up and throwing mud with the pincers on their legs. Their speed and armor made them very difficult to destroy.

Cody pointed at the droids and ordered, "All troops, fire on those droids!" The clones fired their blasters in the direction of the crab droids, but the bolts barely dented the droids' armor. Realizing they were being attacked, the droids returned fire, alternating their blasters to fire rapidly. The clones ducked and dodged to avoid the lasers, but one clone didn't move quick enough and dropped dead with burning hole in his chest.

"Take cover!" exclaimed another clone. He and his comrades ducked behind crates and support pillars, occasionally, popping up to take a shot, but the droids were rapidly advancing, and would be on top of them in seconds.

Then, Cody had an idea. He ordered, "Throw them some detonators!" Several clones had thermal detonators attached to their utility belts and unclipped them. They pressed the button to arm the bombs and threw them at the crab droids. A series of bright explosions engulfed the droids, destroying the ones closest to the detonators, and damaging the ones nearby. But the droids kept coming.

Cody noticed that one of the droids hit by the explosions had lost some of its armor plating, exposing the circuits underneath. He aimed at the gap and fired six consecutive shots. The blaster bolts hit their mark, melting the wires. The droid stumbled and shut down.

The remaining crab droids, meanwhile, had reached the clone line and began attacking with their pincers. One clone found a pair of pincers closing around his neck, and he began to choke. But he aimed his blaster at the droid's center eye and fired. The center eye exploded in a shower of sparks, and the droid let out a deep, pained squeal, but it did not fall. Instead it tightened its grip. The clone aimed again, this time with more difficulty and destroyed the droid's right eye. By this time, however, the clone had already lost consciousness. The droid dropped him and stabbed through his chest with its leg for good measure.

Another clone, seeing his comrade's death, fired at the two-thirds blind droid from the right, where it couldn't see him. As he fired, he slowly moved in a circle to the left, causing the droid to rotate to the right, firing its blaster cannons at where it thought the clone was. Then, the clone circled behind another crab droid and hopped onto its back. The droid bucked an reared, trying to throw off its attacker, but the clone held onto one of the eye stalks and continued to fire at the blind droid. The blind droid continued to fire its blasters, and, just as the second droid reared up, unintentionally fired several shots at its comrade's belly. The droid succumbed to the blasts and its brain exploded.

Many of the other crab droids had been destroyed, but the clones no longer had any cover from enemy fire. Cody was struggling to dodge lasers from two droids at the same. His blaster pack was empty, and he couldn't replace it without being shot. He knew he needed to find some cover, but where?

Then, as luck would have it, a vulture droid was shot out of the sky and crashed on top of the platform. Cody used the opportunity duck behind the burning droid to replace his blaster pack. He worked as quickly as he could, knowing that the crab droids would be catching up to him soon. He heard a metallic creaking sound and saw the vulture droid rock as a crab droid climbed on top of it. Cody had just finished securing the pack when the droid saw him and began to open fire. Dodging the blaster bolts, Cody climbed on the droid's back and pointed his own blaster downwards. The droid couldn't reach him, and Cody fired several shots, destroying its main drive.

Realizing the tactical advantage he had on the droid's back, he called out to the other clones, "Climb on top of them and aim for their backs! They can't reach you up there!" The clones thought about it and some of them decided to take the risk. They climbed on the droids' backs and began firing into them. Soon, all of the droids were destroyed. "Good shooting, men," congratulated Cody. "Now we can call in some tanks and we can move on."

While they waited for the tanks to land, the clones rearmed, resupplied, and recuperated from the battle. But they were unsettled by the sound of the battle raging in other areas of the city. And, at the same time, General Kenobi was out there somewhere fighting General Grievous.

* * *

><p>As soon as Obi-Wan Kenobi saw General Grievous take off on his wheel bike, he had whistled for Boga, the veractyl he had borrowed as transportation. Boga jumped on top of some battle droids on the level below Obi-Wan, so he jumped off the platform and landed on her back. He climbed into the saddle and used the reins to urge her forward after the bike.<p>

Grievous drove through the hanger, running over clone troopers and battle droids alike. Just before he reached the edge, the legs on his bike unfolded, and the vehicle jumped off the tower and slid down the surface of the spherical core ship. Boga followed with just as much ease, but the jolt of the impact caused Obi-Wan to drop his lightsaber. But, as he had said not three minutes ago, he didn't need his lightsaber to fight.

Grievous' bike landed on a dirt road, and began to speed along it. Obi-Wan gave chase, urging Boga on. Soon, they had turned onto a highway…

…in the middle of the battle!

On either sides of the highway, Republic and Separatist forces had formed their own defense lines and were shooting at each other across the street. If the two Generals continued to drive down the highway, they would be caught in crossfire and destroyed. Obi-Wan figured that Grievous would be forced to stop and trapped, making his destruction so much easier.

This is not what happened. Grievous angled his bike so that it merged towards the Republic line, and the clones dove out of the way so as not to be killed by the spiked hoop wheel. Most of the clones were shot in their attempt to dodge, or were simply cut up by the bike before they had a chance. But two could play this game, so Obi-Wan simply steered Boga to run through the battle droids. Fortunately, they passed through the crossfire without taking much damage. But, unfortunately, so did Grievous.

Up ahead, a contingent of Separatist tanks, comprised of OG-9 homing spider droids, hailfire droids, and crab droids, was driving up the highway at a slower pace. Grievous and Obi-Wan steered through the tanks, surprising the droids as they passed. At one point, there was a line containing a spider droid flanked closely by two hailfire droids. There was no way to get around them, so Grievous drove through the legs of the towering spider droid. However, the hoop wheel wasn't quite short enough to pass, and the underside of the spherical brain pod was sliced open, causing sparks to shower down onto Obi-Wan as he passed underneath. The sparks burned his hair and robes slightly, but he patted them out before they could set him on fire.

They were through the droid tanks, but when they saw what it was the tanks were headed towards, Obi-Wan and Grievous began to panic. There were Republic tanks driving _towards_ them. Unlike the Separatist tanks, AT-TEs and HAV-A6 Juggernauts were much, much larger, and would be harder to avoid. Plus, they were being preceded by running AT-RT scout walkers, which had already begun to open fire on the droids.

Obi-Wan and Grievous steered to avoid the blaster bolts being fired from both the front and the rear, but they both knew someone would have to get hurt. Grievous pressed a few buttons on the wheel bike's control console, and the two double laser cannons on the opposite side of the wheel began firing. AT-RTs began to explode as they were hit by blaster bolts, launching flaming shrapnel into the air. Grievous tried to fire at the larger tanks, but the blasters were too weak. Finally, Grievous was trapped!

Again, Obi-Wan let his hopes up too much. Grievous didn't stop, but he was slowed down. His bike switched to walking mode, and he attempted to climb over the tanks. This gave Obi-Wan an idea – a brilliant one, he hoped. He urged Boga sideways and up onto the wall. Her claws allowed her to run on the dirt cliff and Obi-Wan used the Force to hold himself steady. While Boga's speed remained constant, that of the wheel bike was greatly reduced. Grievous made it across the tanks, so he could switch back to wheel mode, but it was too late. Obi-Wan steered off of the wall to run side-by-side with his opponent.

But Grievous wouldn't give up. He had one more trick up his sleeve, and he decided to use it. He suddenly stopped the bike and set it to stand on its legs. Obi-Wan didn't stop Boga quickly enough, and Grievous now had a clear shot. He fired the blaster cannons and Boga began to buck in panic. Obi-Wan used the Force to calm his steed, and then steered her up the wall and onto a dirt road above the highway. Grievous continued to fire at them, but the rocky overhang protected his opponents. So Grievous made his bike roll backwards away from the Jedi, and then he passed a tunnel that would take him to another highway, which was a slightly longer route to his escape ship. He decided to chance it. He turned into the tunnel and rolled away. Obi-Wan followed, of course, but Grievous was already far ahead of him.

Obi-Wan had to find another way to stop Grievous, so he decided to try something else. When they came out of the tunnel, they were on another, more deserted highway. The streets were lined with lights fixed atop thin poles erected every ten to fifteen meters. Obi-Wan concentrated on two poles on opposite sides of the road that were well in front of Grievous. He used the Force to crush the poles at their bases, causing the streetlamps to fall over into the road. Before they hit the ground, Grievous' bike drove into them before he could stop. The poles were caught in the wheel spikes and, as that specific point on the wheel passed through the drive mechanism, knocked the bike's main body into a forward somersault. The poles were released from the spikes, but the damage had already been done. The blaster cannons that extended from the body were crushed as the body flipped, rendering them useless. Some of the spikes had been dulled, so the bike bounced slightly with every rotation. The drive had also been damaged, and the bike was beginning to slow down. Grievous was damaged as well. He hit his head on something hard and dented the armor. But he could always replace the faceplate when he returned to his cruiser. He was smart enough to always have spare parts at hand in case he needed repairs.

Boga jumped over the fallen lampposts and continued to chase the wheel bike. The damaged drive made the bike gradually slow down, putting less distance between it and Boga. Obi-Wan urged her forward, watching as Grievous drew steadily nearer. Soon, they were side-by-side. Obi-Wan had caught him at last! Now it was all a matter of stopping him, and killing him.

* * *

><p>Commander Cody, his clone troopers, and their tank reinforcements travelled through the sinkhole, eliminating droids along the way. But then, Cody got a call requesting backup on the highway. Judging by the sound of the clone's voice, the fighting there must have been pretty fierce. So he diverted his troops towards the coordinates the clone had given.<p>

The situation was actually worse than Cody had feared. Separatist droid tanks were pushing the Republic tanks backwards, away from the Separatist command center. There were two AT-TEs and two HAV-A6 Juggernauts sitting in ruins in the middle of the street. The crab droids were using their pincers to move the rubble out of the way so the droids could advance on the remaining clone troopers. The AT-TEs and juggernauts were firing at the droids with all of their weapons, and there were entire companies of clone troopers in front of the tanks, fighting the battle droids. But even though the Separatist tanks were being destroyed, the spider droids' laser beams and the hailfire droids' missiles inflicted devastating damage on the clones.

Fortunately, Cody and his troops were approaching from behind the droids, so in their effort to decimate the enemy in front of them, the droids didn't think to look behind them. So Cody pointed at the droids and ordered, "Artillery, fire on those tanks!" The artillery cannons atop the AT-TEs rotated and elevated so that they were pointed at the droids. Once they were aimed, they began to fire heavy, explosive energy shots. When the droids noticed the explosions around them, they turned around and headed towards the new clones. Cody then ordered, "All troops, engage!"

The fighting was fierce, but with clones on either side, the droids were heavily outmatched, and were being destroyed at a rapid rate. But, then there was a new problem. About a dozen vulture droids flew down through the sinkhole towards the battle zone. They split up and half of the droids landed on each end of the highway. They converted to walking mode and began to pour fire at the clones. "Watch your backs, men!" warned Cody. "We're taking fire on both sides now!"

The vulture droids' two blaster cannons swiveled back and forth, mowing down clone troopers with continuous laser fire. They were tough to take down with regular blasters, though heavier weapons were more effective. But there wouldn't be any heavy weapons left if the droids continued to kill clones and destroy tanks.

One clone shouted, "It's no use, Commander! We have no cover, and we're majorly outnumbered! We're trapped!"

Cody replied, "Don't focus on that! Just keep fighting, and everything will be fine." He added a second later, "You know, it _could_ be worse." But even as he said that, something in his peripheral vision caught his eye. Something was climbing down the wall. Something heavy, metal, and robotic. It had three legs, a spherical head, and was taller than most buildings. It was an octuptarra combat droid!

The octuptarra droid climbed down the sinkhole and onto the highway behind some of the vulture droids. It then commenced firing its heavy laser cannon at the clones. And when the cannon overheated, the droid simply rotated its head so that one of its other two cannons continued the attack. Blasters were even more useless against these droids than against the vulture droids. Cody ordered the remaining clones to flatten themselves against the wall, while the tanks formed a protective semi-circle around them. As they all tried in vain to destroy the octuptarra droid, another droid climbed down onto the opposite side of the highway.

"Are we trapped now, Commander?" asked the clone who had addressed Cody earlier.

Cody hesitated before answering. If he admitted that they were trapped, the troops' morale would disappear. If he didn't… well, that would be a lie. But maybe there was a way to escape that no one had yet thought of. And then, at that moment, Cody discovered it. "No. We're not trapped. If we can't go left, right, or straight, there's one more option." He pulled a small pack from his utility belt and clipped it onto his blaster. He then aimed at the top of the cliff and finished, "We go up!" After he spoke that last word he fired a string of black liquid straight upward, which then solidified into a strong mesh cable. The end of the cable suctioned itself to the edge of the cliff.

Following his lead, the other clones fired similar cables from their blasters towards the cliff's edge. Then, with the press of a button, the cables retracted, pulling the blasters and their owners slowly up the side of the cliff. The AT-TEs were also able to scale the wall with their clawed footpads. The remaining juggernaut, however, was forced to stay behind and be destroyed.

At first, the droids were confused at this new strategy by the clones. Then, as their brains processed the clones' trajectory, they began to fire upward after them. A few clones and one AT-TE were hit by blaster bolts and fell back to the ground, but as the others drew farther away, they became harder to hit. After a moment, all of the clones and the remaining two AT-TEs clambered over the edge of the cliff onto safe ground.

Most of the clones sat on the ground, panting from exhaustion or fright, but, inward, they were all celebrating their survival. Then, one clone called, "Hey, everyone! Over here!" They all turned towards the clone who had called out, and saw that he was standing next to several crates. He explained, "These crates are full of explosives. Anyone thinking what I'm thinking?"

They were. Pretty soon, all of the crates had a thermal detonator attached to it, set to go off after a certain amount of time. They pushed the crates towards the edge of the cliff and looked down. The octuptarra droids were beginning to climb after the clones, and some of the vulture droids were flying upwards as well.

"Bombs away!" yelled Cody. On his signal, the clones pushed the crates over the edge, sending them tumbling down towards the droids. Two vulture droids were hit by crates and were damaged. Then, all of the crates exploded, engulfing some of the droids, or causing rocks and droid parts to avalanche on top of the octuptarra droids. The droids were knocked off the wall and fell back onto the highway. But then they rolled over the edge of the highway and into the depths of the sinkhole. There was a brilliant explosion as the droids collided with the bottom of the pit.

All of the clones began to cheer for their victory. Even Cody celebrated, even though he knew the battle wasn't over. And then there was still Grievous to deal with.

* * *

><p>Obi-Wan Kenobi, riding Boga, was now side-by-side with General Grievous and his wheel bike. Grievous, noticing this, knew he would have to fight after all. So he pulled an electrostaff from a holster beside his seat and activated it, causing the tips to glow purple with electricity. He thrust the staff at Obi-Wan, who leaned backwards to avoid the weapon. Grievous stabbed again, but this time, Obi-Wan grabbed the other end of the staff and tugged it from Grievous' hand. He then proceeded to jab at the cyborg. But Grievous withstood the small bursts of electricity, and he was threatening to pull the electrostaff back into his hand.<p>

So Obi-Wan tried a different strategy. He slipped his hand as close to the tip of the staff as he could and swung at the bike's hoop wheel. As the staff connected with the wheel, the spikes began to break off, causing the bike to wobble dangerously. As Grievous swayed back and forth, Obi-Wan attempted one more stab, hoping he had distracted his opponent. But he hadn't. Grievous grabbed the other end of the staff and pulled. Obi-Wan allowed himself to be carried off of Boga and onto the bike, clinging to the back of the seat.

Obi-Wan threw several punches and kicks, trying to knock Grievous off the bike, but Grievous was strong, and Obi-Wan's moves were limited, as he still needed to hold onto the seat. He didn't notice when Grievous pulled a blaster out of another holster and fired two shots, hoping one of them hit Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan slipped trying to dodge the bolts, and he almost fell off the bike. He grabbed a connector bar, but his feet were being dragged against the ground, and he was beginning to lose his grip. Satisfied that he was finally rid of Kenobi, Grievous returned his attention to the highway in front of him. He calculated that he would reach his escape ship soon.

_Too_ soon! Grievous realized that he had reached the platform and, if he didn't stop the bike, was about to drive over the edge! He twisted the controls and hit the brakes as hard as he could, but this only caused the bike to fall on its side. Grievous and Obi-Wan tumbled onto the platform, while the wheel bike slid off into the sinkhole.

But Grievous didn't need the bike anymore. His personal Belbullab-22 starfighter, the _Soulless One_, was resting nearby on its landing gear. Its prong-shaped design made it fast and agile, its two triple laser cannons made it powerful and destructive, and its impervium hull, paired with its deflector shield generator, made it strong and well-defended. If Grievous took off in it, it would be nearly impossible for the Republic to stop him from escaping using its top-of-the-line hyperdrive. Obi-Wan stood up, knowing that the duel ended here.

The electrostaff and blaster were lying on the platform. Obi-Wan picked up the electrostaff and closed in on Grievous. Grievous picked up the blaster and fired a shot at Obi-Wan, but the Jedi was already upon him, and used the electrostaff to knock the blaster away. Obi-Wan took two jabs at Grievous, which barely did any damage. So Obi-Wan performed a sweep, knocking Grievous to the ground. He lifted the electrostaff and brought it down hard on Grievous' chest. The cyborg yelled in pain and kicked out with one foot. Obi-Wan flew half the diameter of the platform and landed after hitting the starfighter and dropping the electrostaff.

By the time he recovered, Grievous had picked him up and was about to throw a punch at Obi-Wan. But Obi-Wan leaned to the side so that Grievous' metal fist hit the fighter, actually denting it. Obi-Wan noticed that one of Grievous' chest plates had come loose when he hit it with the electrostaff. Obi-Wan pulled the plates apart, exposing the gut sack housing Grievous' organs.

Grievous exclaimed in surprise, cursed in an alien tongue, and then punched Obi-Wan so hard that he flew back across the platform. This time, he didn't recover as quickly. When his eyesight returned to normal, he saw that Grievous was about to stomp his clawed foot where Obi-Wan's face was. Obi-Wan rolled out of the way twice and Grievous stomped his foot wherever Obi-Wan's face lay. Obi-Wan kicked out at one of Grievous' legs, and then screamed in pain as his foot absorbed all of the shock. While he was momentarily stunned, Grievous chuckled and lifted Obi-Wan by the neck. The Jedi choked and tried desperately to pull the cold, metal hands from his throat.

Grievous cackled and said, "You have been a worthy foe, Kenobi. But eventually one of us would win. And it looks like that would be me!" He laughed again, but then transitioned into a coughing fit. Obi-Wan continued to pry Grievous' hand away, but to no avail. Grievous continued, "And now, you are about to become one with your precious Force!" In one swift stroke, Grievous threw Obi-Wan over his head and towards the sinkhole. Obi-Wan rolled over the edge of the platform, but managed to hold on with his hands. He began trying to pull himself up, but his strength had been nearly spent, and Grievous was stalking towards him, holding the electrostaff.

Obi-Wan managed to pull himself far enough to hold onto the platform with his elbows on top. But Grievous was almost upon him, and would knock the Jedi into the pit. Obi-Wan searched desperately for one last plan that would save his life. Then he saw it; the blaster Grievous had dropped. Obi-Wan used the Force to call the weapon to his hand and pointed it at Grievous. Grievous raised the electrostaff above his head, so he could attack with more force, but he had unknowingly let up his defense of the gap in his chest armor. Obi-Wan quickly aimed the blaster and fired.

His aim was perfect. The blaster bolt hit the gut sack, setting it on fire. Grievous looked down at the damage, and then growled at Obi-Wan. He should have known better than to let up his guard. And now, Obi-Wan had scored a major comeback in the battle. Obi-Wan fired a few more shots, which also connected with the organs, causing them to combust violently. Pretty soon, Flames had engulfed Grievous' entire body, and Obi-Wan didn't stop shooting until fire burst from his eyes. All the while, Grievous screamed as a result of the intense pain. Finally, the gut sack exploded, and Grievous fell to the ground, dead.

Obi-Wan pulled himself back onto the platform and began to walk towards Grievous' body. He glanced at the blaster he was still holding and tossed it away. "So uncivilized," he commented. He looked down at Grievous' body, just to make sure he actually was dead. What was left of his organic body was burning away to ashes, leaving behind an empty armored shell.

General Grievous was dead.

Obi-Wan heaved a sigh of relief. He knew that with Grievous dead, there would be no one left to command the Separatists. The droid armies would be eventually destroyed, the Separatist Council would run away, and then the Clone Wars would finally be over.

Obi-Wan turned away from the corpse and whistled for Boga. When the veractyl lizard came, Obi-Wan rode her back into the battle, leaving Grievous' body to burn.


	21. Knightfall: Part 1

It's finally here - the two-part finale to this epic tale! Twenty months, nearly 160,000 words, and 633 pages have gone into this story, and even I find it hard to believe it's really finished! Before you enjoy, I suggest that you reread all twenty of the previous episodes. You will find that they have all been revised, and half of them even have added scenes!

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><p>Knightfall: Part 1 (Ep. # 21)<p>

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><p>A war ending! At the hand of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the evil Separatist commander, General Grievous, has been killed during the Battle of Utapau. With the battle droids leaderless, and the Separatist Council in disarray, the Republic celebrates the impending end to the Clone Wars.<p>

But there is deception in the air, and a great evil is about to be unleashed. Something is about to happen that will end the celebration and change the galaxy for worse. It will begin at the Jedi Temple, where the unsuspecting Jedi prepare to welcome home their war heroes….

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was becoming frustrated by the string of recent events. Yes, the Battle of Coruscant was won. Yes, Count Dooku and General Grievous have been killed. And yes, the war was almost over. Everyone else was happy, but Ahsoka was hardly on top of things. And it was all because of Anakin Skywalker.<p>

When he returned to Coruscant from the Outer Rim Sieges, Ahsoka thought she and her master would be able to spend more time together after all these months. But the moment he set foot on the planet, Anakin was assaulted by citizens and politicians who were grateful for his rescue of Chancellor Palpatine. Then, once the crowds parted, Palpatine appointed Anakin to be his personal representative on the Jedi Council. That meant whenever Anakin wasn't in an endless meeting with the council, he was in an endless meeting with the chancellor.

Ahsoka knew that patience was a virtue, but with so much happening, her patience was running thin. She could pass the time the way she always did; reading the Jedi Archive library's holobooks. But she was quickly running out of topics to research.

Now, she was strolling through the library, reading the shelves as she walked past them. Then she noticed a label she hadn't seen before: children's literature. Well, it was something to keep her occupied. She walked to the shelf and picked out a book. It was titled _Galactic Nursery Rhymes: A Collection of Children's Poetry_.

Ahsoka opened the book and skimmed the table of contents. One title immediately stood out: _War_. Curious, she flipped through the book until she came to the page with the poem on it. She read the poem as follows:

_Once war starts, it never ends,_

_For neither side deserves to win._

_Heroes rise and heroes die,_

_Then greater wars begin._

Ahsoka reread the poem, yet it still made little sense. "It never ends?" But the Clone Wars were already ending. "Neither side deserves to win?" How could the Jedi not deserve to win? They were the ones who did all good deeds. Those Separatist _murderers_ were the ones who deserved to lose. "Heroes rise and heroes die." Well, that made perfect sense. But "greater wars begin?" How could there be another war even worse than the one that had just ended? And if the Separatists were destroyed, who would declare war against the Republic?

Ahsoka shook her head. This is just an old poem from before the war. It meant nothing. She replaced the book on the bookshelf and walked away.

As she walked past the window, something caught her eye. She looked out the window and saw a curious sight. Over four hundred clone troopers were marching up the steps of the Jedi Temple. They were being led by someone in a dark brown, hooded cloak.

What was going on? Clones aren't often seen in the temple, and certainly not in such immense numbers. Ahsoka tried to think of an explanation, but nothing seemed likely. She would just have to go down and see for herself.

* * *

><p>As Ahsoka walked down the halls of the Jedi Temple, she passed several other Jedi who were just as confused as she was. No one knew what was happening, or why. This was certainly a mystery, and Ahsoka didn't like it. Something was wrong.<p>

Everyone went to the entrance hall, where the clones were entering the temple. Ahsoka was standing on a balcony on the second floor of the hall. The cloaked figure in front of the procession held up his hand – or was it a her? Ahsoka couldn't see the person's face – and the clones abruptly halted, stomping their left feet as one, causing the room to shake. A deathly silence followed, and the Jedi could sense that danger was coming. Their hearts began to pound in their chests, and some instinctively pulled out their lightsabers.

That, apparently, was the cue for the clones to attack. Following the chorus of _snap-hisses_, the hall was filled with blue blasterfire. The Jedi swung their lightsabers to deflect the bolts, and the clones charged, firing at anyone and everyone. The mysterious figure stood still, holding a lightsaber of his –or her – own. He/she ignited it, revealing its pure blue blade.

Ahsoka was shocked. A Jedi was leading the attack? A traitor? But who would want to betray the Jedi? But she couldn't dwell on that question right now. Now, it was time to fight! She ignited her green and yellow lightsabers and jumped off the balcony to land amidst her fellow Jedi.

By this time the clones had spread out around the front of the hall and were providing a nearly constant stream of fire at their new enemies. The Jedi were packed together, deflecting the bolts back at the clones. Some of the clones were killed, but the others had taken cover behind the support pillars and were popping out to take shots at the Jedi. Ahsoka gasped as a Padawan standing next to her was hit in the chest and killed.

That settled it. It was a rebellion!

As the clones continued to fire, the Jedi were pushed backwards. Some of them decided to retreat deeper into the temple. As they fled, the Jedi traitor pointed his lightsaber at the Jedi and charged, with the clones following him. One of the Jedi Masters, Keelyvine Reus ran forward to face him with her two green lightsabers. Their weapons clashed, and Keelyvine attacked swiftly and elegantly. But the traitor swung strongly but efficiently, using his anger as fuel. It was a fighting style few had seen before.

The traitor brought his lightsaber down over his head, but the master blocked the blow. The sabers locked, and both were pushing as hard as they could to disable their opponent. After a few seconds, the other Jedi sensed a fit of rage come over the traitor, and Keelyvine's head was cut in half down the middle and detached from her body. Several of the younger Jedi gasped in shock. This couldn't be a Jedi. It must have been a Sith Lord!

But how? Could this person have been a Jedi and suddenly turned to the Dark Side? No one had left the Jedi Order since nearly thirteen years ago, when Count Dooku became the latest addition to "The Lost Twenty." Nearly everyone knew who those Jedi were, as they each had a bronze bust lining the main hallway of the library. What Jedi would betray the order and join the Sith? Ahsoka couldn't think of anyone who would do such a thing. It was probably someone she didn't know.

More and more Jedi were falling back, and Ahsoka didn't want to be the last defender. So she ran, too. She ran through the door into the next hall. Once she was safe, she began to think. How could she protect herself from the clones? How could the Jedi protect the temple? And, if the clones took over, how could she escape? They were sure to shoot down any fleeing speeder or starfighter.

Ahsoka didn't know what to do, so she decided that she needed help from older, more experienced Jedi. And she knew just who to go to. She ran to the Jedi Archive library as fast as she could.

* * *

><p>Four clone troopers ran through the streets of Coruscant near 500 Republica, the tower in which Chancellor Palpatine owned an apartment suite. These clones had red markings painted on their armor, signifying that they were part of the Coruscant Security Force. The clones each held a blaster rifle ready, just in case.<p>

They had been navigating the streets for an hour now, but they hadn't yet found what they were looking for. Then, the squad noticed that one member had fallen behind. The three clones turned around and saw the fourth kneeling beside something. The clones returned to see what it was, and they gasped.

It was a severed brown-skinned hand, gripping a lightsaber. "He must be close," deduced the kneeling clone.

"There's another one!" exclaimed a second clone, pointing down the street. There was another lightsaber, small and gold instead of silver, and, thankfully, with no hand attached.

The squad leader ordered, "Put them in a box. We'll take them back with us." As the first clone carefully placed the items in a small box, the squad looked around some more. After a while, the leader said, "There he is!" The clones ran down the street and pushed their way through a crowd of people gathered in a circle. And in the center of the circle was a body.

It was Mace Windu, Jedi Master.

The citizens were all murmuring to each other in several different languages, surprised to see one of the leading members of the Jedi Council dead. He wore a brown cloak over his Jedi outfit, his right hand was missing, and his brown eyes stared blankly up at the chancellor's suite.

"All right," said the clone leader, "Break it up. We'll handle this. Everyone go home." As the crowd dispersed, the clones placed Mace's body on a stretcher and carried him back to their airspeeder. The speeder took off and flew back to the police station, where they would dispose of the Jedi Master.

* * *

><p>Chancellor Palpatine watched as several clone troopers walked around his apartment, cleaning up after the attack. There were thousands of shards of glass scattered in front of his broken panoramic window. And then there were the bodies.<p>

Several clones bore three stretchers out of the apartment, each carrying a body swathed in Jedi robes. The first was Kit Fisto, the second was Saesee Tiin, and the third was Agen Kolar. Three dead Jedi Masters who had paid the price for their betrayal. There was one more Jedi, Mace Windu, who had been thrown out the window, but Palpatine had already sent a clone squad to recover his body.

Following the Jedi's attempt on his life, Palpatine called the police, who were thoroughly working on the crime scene. Palpatine's aide, Senate Chairman Mas Amedda, had also been summoned and was speaking with the chancellor.

Palpatine had told the police that the Jedi had attempted to assassinate him, but he had been saved by his Jedi ally. The police never thought that the chancellor had killed four Jedi Masters, and since the Jedi ally had acted in loyalty and defense, they didn't even discuss whether or not to press charges.

Palpatine told the clones, "Smuggle the bodies away and dispose of them. I don't want any evidence of their attack." The clones obeyed without question, and they suggested that the chancellor take up temporary residence elsewhere until the suite had been secured. Palpatine complied, and asked that everyone else leave while he packed his things.

But, in truth, he actually _didn't_ have to pack. He didn't need all of his personal things, save for a set of spare clothing and personal hygiene items, and he already had a suitcase packed with those things in case he needed to leave on short notice. The real reason he wanted them to leave was that he wanted to make a call.

No, he had to make several calls.

* * *

><p>Back in the entrance hall of the Jedi Temple, the last Jedi had either fled or been killed, and the clones had one moment of respite before they pursued. Star trooper Captain Rex inspected his men. Rumor had it that the army would be becoming much more disciplined soon, and Rex wanted to make sure the 501st legion was prepared for the transition.<p>

His general impression; they were quiet. But he didn't blame them. They were going through a drastic new change, so it was expected that they would be nervous. Even Rex was a bit nervous. But he didn't let it bother him; he was much more experienced than the rest of his men.

But he had to admit that when Chancellor Palpatine issued Order 66, he was a bit surprised. Order 66 had been discretely taught to the highest-ranking clone troopers so that when the time was right, they could turn on their Jedi generals and eradicate them.

"Captain?" asked a shy voice.

Rex turned to face one of the newer clones and said, "Is there a problem, Shiny?"

The clone replied, "Well, it's just that… well… see, some of the men are a little bit uncomfortable with our orders. They don't feel like betraying the Jedi is the right thing to do."

Rex looked around and saw that several other clones were watching the conversation ensue. He spoke louder to address them all. "Is that how you're all feeling? That we're being traitors?" No one answered. "These orders came from the supreme chancellor himself. He said that the Jedi have threatened the Republic and must be stopped. Anyone who carries out the order will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and you will be punished, to a deadly degree."

The clones looked at each other in worry and whispered their thoughts. After they had quieted down, Rex continued, "Now, you can feel like traitors all you want, but know this; it is we who have been betrayed. Now let's move out, and stop the traitors! Don't hesitate, don't show mercy, and don't die."

So the clones picked up their weapons and ran further into the temple. They were glad that they were all wearing helmets, because then the Jedi couldn't see their expressions.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano's guess was correct. She did indeed find Jedi Master Jocasta Nu in the library. But, then again, it was an easy guess. Jocasta was the head librarian, and rarely ever left the archives. When she was younger, she was very powerful and easy to rile. No enemy wanted to mess with her, or suffer the wrath of Jocasta Nu.<p>

But, as she grew older, Jocasta decided to step down from the Jedi Council and become the head librarian. Her decision was aided by her displeasure with Jedi assignments and her love of knowledge. She still got angry from time to time, mostly when a Padawan tried to trick her into doing their homework for them, or when someone insulted, or even questioned, the largest collection of knowledge in the galaxy.

Ahsoka found Jocasta at her desk, handing several datapads to a Jedi Knight. She said, "Hurry, take these someplace safe. I'm depending on you." Ahsoka noticed that the woman's usually cracked voice had a tone of worry mixed in, and her face betrayed her fear.

Of course, Ahsoka thought. She was worried that the clones would destroy the library and all the information. "Madame Jocasta!" she called, running.

Jocasta turned and offered a feeble smile. "Ahsoka, my dear. I'm glad to see you're alive."

When Ahsoka reached her, she said, "Me, too. You, I mean." Ahsoka inwardly ridiculed herself for her comment, but Jocasta appeared somewhat amused. "I realize that the clones will probably destroy the library. I'm so sorry, Master."

Jocasta appeared sad again. "Oh, I'm not worried that the clones will destroy the library. I'm sad that I'm ordering the other librarians to destroy it."

Ahsoka was surprised, "_You_ gave this order?"

Jocasta nodded sadly. "The archive holds secrets that no one can ever know. The clones will search the database and plunder these secrets. But that must not happen. I have copied the most valuable information onto several datapads and sent one of the knights to hide them someplace safe. Meanwhile, the library must be destroyed."

Ahsoka sighed sadly. "You've made a very difficult decision, Master. And I'm sure it's the right one. We're all proud of you." This appeared to cheer Jocasta somewhat. Ahsoka decided it was time to get to the point. "We don't have much time. The clones are already on their way. Is there any way to stop them?"

Jocasta shook her head. "The Jedi Temple has never needed any defensive measures. We have always believed that we were capable of defending the temple with the Force."

Ahsoka sighed in exasperation. "Until now, you mean. There are four hundred clones out there. They outnumber us, like, six to one, and they know our every move. Some of them have been in the temple before. And they're being led by a Jedi traitor…"

"A Jedi?" repeated Jocasta, her eyes wide in disbelief. "Now this is unprecedented in all of history. The situation has become far more serious."

"In that case, there must be something we can do to stop them."

Jocasta thought for what seemed like three minutes. Ahsoka was beginning to wonder if even Jocasta Nu had run out of ideas. Then, Jocasta's face lit up. "It is possible that we can set a trap. Perhaps as simple as blocked entrances, fallen pillars, or collapsed rooms. Then, it will be easier to fight them."

Ahsoka liked the idea. The clones wouldn't expect the Jedi to destroy their own temple. They would be caught completely off-guard if the sabotage was executed at the same, precise time. "What did you have in mind?" she asked.

* * *

><p>Above the planet Cato Neimoidia, Kel Dor Jedi Master Plo Koon flew his blue Delta-7 Jedi starfighter through the air, weaving in between the large mesas and bridge cities. Three clone ARC-170 starfighters followed him on a reconnaissance mission. The battle was over, but the Republic had to uproot any remaining Separatist forces and destroy them.<p>

In the cockpit of the lead ARC-170, a hologram of Chancellor Palpatine popped up and said simply, "Execute Order 66."

The clone pilot nodded and answered, "It will be done, my lord." Once the hologram disappeared, the pilot took careful aim and fired several shots at the Jedi starfighter ahead of him.

Plo realized too late that he was being attacked, and tried to evade the shots. But a blaster bolt had already disabled his engine, causing the ship to drop in altitude. Plo realized that he was going to crash into a building, and pulled the throttle, hoping to avoid a collision. Another shot hit the ship, but the damage was far worse.

The fighter's engine exploded, and the cockpit was engulfed in flames. Not long afterwards, the entire ship was on fire, and plowed across the roof of the building. Needless to say, Plo Koon was killed in the explosion.

* * *

><p>On the planet Kashyyyk, a large-scale battle was raging between the Separatist and Republic Forces. Although the clones were being aided by the native Wookiees, the droids outnumbered them on a five-to-one margin. The battle had already lasted several days, with neither side gaining significant ground.<p>

Jedi Master Luminara Unduli of the Mirilian species was off to the side of the beach, discussing tactics with several clone troopers. As the clones listened, their commander received a transmission that was played through his helmet. He discreetly relayed the same message to the other clones in the circle. Luminara didn't suspect anything.

The commander nodded after the Jedi finished her sentence, as though affirming his understanding. But it was actually the cue for the clones to quickly raise their blasters and shoot the general. Luminara Unduli was hit by eight blaster bolts coming from all directions. She hit the ground before she could register the clones' betrayal.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano ran through the halls of the Jedi Temple, telling any Jedi she passed about Jocasta Nu's plan. Many of them believed it was a good idea and wanted to help. Soon, there were Jedi all over the temple planting thermal detonators above doorways, at the bases of pillars, and on the ceilings.<p>

What confused them the most was that the clones were still in the entrance hall, setting up a command post and tending to their wounded. Why weren't they going after the Jedi?

In almost no time at all, the explosives had all been placed and were armed for remote detonation. Ahsoka returned to the library where Jocasta was waiting. "Is it ready?" she asked.

Ahsoka nodded. "Everything's set. We just need to wait for the clones to leave the entrance hall and walk into the trap."

Jocasta frowned. "You mean they haven't resumed their attack?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "No one knows what they're waiting for." But as time passed, they grew more and more suspicious. Finally Ahsoka stood up and said, "Something's not right. I'm going to go look around for any clues."

So Ahsoka left the library and walked down the hall. It was eerily quiet, and it unnerved her. Why would the clones be holding off their attack? This wasn't like them. If they didn't attack, the trap couldn't go off…

That's when it hit her. The clones aren't attacking so that they don't trigger the trap! They knew what the Jedi were planning! But that didn't explain much. Are the clones just planning to sit there and wait for the bombs to magically shut off?

Ahsoka passed one of the doorways she had booby-trapped. She looked up at the bomb to see if it was still working. But she couldn't tell because… there was no bomb! Panicked, Ahsoka looked around, just in case the bomb had been moved. She couldn't find it anywhere.

Ahsoka ran to the next trap, but that bomb was also missing! She stood and thought. Where could it be? Then, in the silence, Ahsoka heard a light, metallic clanking noise coming from the ceiling. But when she looked for the source she couldn't see anything. But she could definitely hear something.

She walked down the hallway to the next door, and the bomb was still there. Ahsoka sighed in relief. Maybe she could catch the bomb culprit. But then, to her surprise, the bomb floated off of the wall and disappeared. Then she figured it out. She ignited one of her lightsabers and said, "I know you're there! You can't hide from me!"

After she spoke, a probe droid disengaged its cloaking device and began firing its auto-defense blaster at Ahsoka. As Ahsoka deflected the bolts, she analyzed the droid. It was a distinctive ellipse-shaped probe droid with several manipulator arms hanging underneath its body. It was wearing a backpack with a few thermal detonators inside and it was still holding one in one of its arms. It adjusted the knob that turned the bomb on and off. But the droid was actually switching it to another remote channel.

Ahsoka, realizing what was happening, ignited her second lightsaber and used the Force to throw it at the droid. The blade sliced through the droid, which dropped to the ground in two smoldering pieces. Ahsoka clipped her lightsabers to her belt and grabbed the pack of bombs. She had to warn the other Jedi before it was too late!

* * *

><p>On the jungle planet Felucia, a convoy of Republic AT-TE tanks, AT-OT troop carriers, and AT-AP attack walkers marched through the bizarre trees and plants. They were being led by Twi'lek Jedi Master Aayla Secura and her faithful second-in-command, clone Commander Bly. A squad of clone troopers followed closely behind them. The Separatists still had forces scattered across the planet, and the Republic wanted to make sure the droids were all destroyed.<p>

Aayla turned a corner and came to a large clearing, at the opposite end of which several NR-N99 droid enforcer tanks were sitting. Aayla unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and turned around to give the order to attack. But, to her surprise, the clones, including Bly, had already drawn their blasters and aimed them – at her!

Before Aayla could even ignite her weapon, the clones fired and she hit the ground, dead, yet the clones continued to shoot her body. They didn't want to take any chances.

* * *

><p>On Mygeeto, a war-torn ice planet, Jedi Master Ki-Adi Mundi led the Republic forces in a battle against the Separatists. They were on a bridge connecting two city blocks, hoping to capture the bridge and secure the city. The clone troopers and hovering UT-AT tanks were firing at the battle droids, while Ki-Adi deflected enemy blasterfire with his lightsaber. The Separatists were on the other end of the bridge, and were backed by battle droids and towering octuptarra combat tri-droids.<p>

One of the octuptarra droids had launched a missile that collided with the underside of a UT-AT, and the ensuing explosion launched the tank into the air and brought it crashing back down. But the tri-droid that had fired the shot slowly succumbed to artillery fire from the other Republic tanks. The droid toppled over the bridge, and the other droids fell back.

Ki-Adi rallied his troops and led the charge forward. But he became aware that the clones had stopped running. He turned around in confusion, and saw that the clones were pointing their blaster rifles at him. Knowing what was about to happen, Ki-Adi blocked the blaster bolts fired by his men. Three clones were soon hit by deflected bolts and fell, but the Jedi missed a bolt fired by Commander Bacara, breaking his concentration. Ki-Adi screamed as he was peppered by seven more shots and dropped dead.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano returned to the Archive library, gasping for breath. Jocasta Nu was waiting, along with several other Jedi, including Tyzen Xebec, a pale-skinned Zabrak teenager with small vestigial horns on his bald head. He had been the apprentice of the late Keelyvine Reus, and had been on a few assignments with Ahsoka. She greeted them with two words: "Probe Droids!"<p>

"What?" asked Tyzen.

Ahsoka explained, "The clones sent camouflaged probe droids to spy on us, and then they took the bombs and have switched the channel to another remote, so we can't detonate them!"

A mixed look of surprise and confusion crossed Jocasta's face. "They've turned our own trap against us. That is what they've been waiting for. They wanted to deplete our resources so that we'll be easier to defeat."

"So, what do we do now?" asked Tyzen.

Before anyone could answer, the distinctive sound of blasterfire erupted outside the library. Ahsoka slowly ignited her lightsabers, preparing for the fight ahead. "This temple is ours, and we won't let it fall without a fight!" Jocasta reached onto her key ring and pulled out a rarely-used blue lightsaber. Tyzen also activated his weapon, and all of the other Jedi followed suit.

Everyone turned to face the large wooden doors that led into the temple's hallways. Blaster bolts hit the wood, and it began to splinter. The clones had arrived, but not as allies, but enemies! Tyzen thrust his lightsaber into the air and yelled, "For the Jedi!"

The other Jedi repeated the rallying cry, except for Jocasta, who simply said, "May the Force be with us all."

The doors broke free of their hinges and crashed to the floor. Clone troopers began to run into the library, firing their blasters. The Jedi deflected the bolts with their lightsabers, but as more clones came, there was less the Jedi could do to defend themselves.

One Knight leapt on top of the first bookshelf and knocked it over. Some of the clones were crushed by the fallen shelf, and the Jedi began to slice through or stab the rest. He had succeeded in killing five more clones before he was shot to death. Another Knight used the Force to pick up one of the bronze busts and throw it at the clones. Ironically, it was the bust of Count Dooku.

A Padawan boy was swinging his lightsaber quickly to defend against the blasters. But Ahsoka could sense that he was getting anxious, and his movements were becoming stiff. In the boy's effort to stop one blaster bolt, another bolt hit him just underneath his chest. He yelled once in pain, and then dropped to the floor.

In response to the Padawan's death, Ahsoka threw one of her lightsabers at the clones, slicing through the chests of four of them. She felt a slight sadness inside of her when the soldiers died. They were the first clones to die at Ahsoka's hand, but they wouldn't be the last.

Jocasta had retreated to the back of the line and was using the Force to summon all of the holobooks from their shelves, and then she threw them, pelting the clones and temporarily distracting them. By the time they had recovered, the clones realized that the Jedi had taken advantage of the diversion and were quickly advancing.

The clones began to walk backwards away from the Jedi, while continuing to fire their blasters at them. But the Jedi had gained too much ground. The clones knew that if they wanted to survive, they had to find better cover. So they turned around and ran back through the library doors, with the Jedi in pursuit.

When she entered the main hallway complex, Ahsoka froze in place, stunned by the scene unfolding before her. Everywhere she looked, clone troopers and Jedi were fighting each other, leaving the temple strewn with bodies. Stray blaster bolts were blowing chunks of stone out of the walls, pillars, and ceiling. Balconies and bridges were collapsing, sending the unfortunate beings on them to their deaths. Others were crushed by falling debris and pillars. Smoke filled the air as thermal detonators exploded, also setting the temple, and even some of its occupants, on fire.

No one had ever thought that one of the most tragic battles in Republic history would take place in the Jedi Temple, when the Republic's loyal soldiers turned against their Jedi commanders. So much blood would be spilt, staining the elaborate temple that had stood for thousands of years.

All of the mayhem, the chaos, made Ahsoka wonder if Jedi were being slaughtered in other places.

* * *

><p>Mirilian Jedi Knight Barriss Offee and a handful of her clones were being attacked by super battle droids on Felucia. As more and more droids swarmed in around her, she became desperate for help. In almost no time at all, all of her clones were dead, leaving her to fight the elite droids alone.<p>

Just when she feared that she had lost, a nearby explosion destroyed several droids. It was caused by artillery fire from an AT-TE that was poking through the foliage. The walker was flanked by four fresh squads of clone troopers.

"Quickly!" she called, "Open fire on those droids!"

The AT-TE did fire, but not at the droids. Barriss was consumed in an artillery explosion, leaving nothing behind.

* * *

><p>On Saleucami, Stass Allie and two clone troopers were riding BARC speeders over the barren landscape, intent on searching for any more enemy droids and secure the planet for the Republic.<p>

But then Commander Neyo received a transmission through his clone helmet. He listened to the message that came in and nodded, acknowledging the order. On cue, both clones hit their speeders' brakes and fell behind the Jedi General. Then, using the blaster cannons, they shot the speeder, killing the Jedi riding it.

* * *

><p>A group of ten Jedi Younglings had hidden in the Jedi Council Chamber, trying to hide from the clones. At only five years old, these children had only just begun their training. And, of course, they were afraid. When the attack began, they ran to the elevators that took them to the chamber where the Jedi Masters made the biggest decisions.<p>

The children were huddled behind some of the chairs when they heard the doors slide open. They stiffened in fear, thinking that perhaps the clones had found them. But one boy spared a peek from behind the chair to see who it was. He sighed in relief and sent calming emotions to the other Younglings.

It was a Jedi Knight, but not just any Jedi. This particular Jedi had saved four of the Younglings from a bounty hunter about nine months ago. And now he was here to save them again! This truly was a great man.

The Younglings stood from their hiding place, and the boy said, "Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?"

* * *

><p>In another part of the Battle of Kashyyyk, Quinlan Vos stood on the overseer's platform of an HAV-A6 Juggernaut, surveying his clone forces. He was a skilled Jedi General, but he openly showed his contempt towards the clones. He was suspicious of their origins, their priorities, and their futures. The Force only told him to be cautious, and so he would be.<p>

Quinlan suddenly felt a disturbance in the Force. He feared that something terrible had just happened. Not too long after the Force mentally hit him, something else physically hit him. Or, more precisely, his tank. The juggernaut was consumed in a fiery explosion in which the Jedi was caught.

But, to his astonishment, Quinlan didn't die. The fire subsided and he landed amidst the forest of Kashyyyk. One of his arms was broken, and he was covered in serious burns, but he was alive.

It didn't take Quinlan long to realize what had happened. The clones blew up the tank, trying to kill him! He was right about them. They were all traitors! That's when it hit him; they had killed other Jedi. That must have been the disturbance in the Force. Clone troopers across the galaxy must have been turning against their Jedi commanders.

As the pieces clicked into place, Quinlan stood up and limped into the jungle. He knew that the clones would be looking for him, so he had to get as far away from them as possible. He would survive the jungle, and then…

…then he would solve this mystery.

* * *

><p>No words could describe the emotions flying through Captain Rex's head. He wasn't sure there were even names for them. For one thing, his energy level was heightened to meet the physical demands of fighting Jedi. And then, there was a sense of… well, ironic pleasure, if that even made sense. But at the same time, he felt a bit sad, and maybe even conflicted.<p>

He had fought a Jedi before, the traitor Pong Krell on Umbara, but he was only one Jedi, and almost all of his men were killed on that occasion. Rex would never forget the pain he had felt. Krell had ordered Rex to execute two of his best men for disobeying orders, and ended up disobeying that order himself. As a result, Krell had tricked the clones into killing each other. That, perhaps, was the most painful experience Rex had ever had. Finally, after capturing and interrogating Krell, the clones were forced to execute him.

Afterwards, Rex remembered questioning the clones' purpose in the war, and even the purpose of the war itself. He used to believe that being a good soldier meant doing everything they told you to, but, after the incident with Krell, he learned that, sometimes, you have to make your own decisions.

That thought led him into another thought: did he _have_ to kill the Jedi? Could he disobey orders, as he had done on Umbara? But the chancellor had been strict. If he tried to run away, he would be hunted down and killed. He didn't feel that that was a risk worth taking.

So he kept firing his twin concussion rifles, killing Jedi he had fought alongside of, and watching clones he had fought alongside of being killed. With every kill, he felt an odd pang in his head. It was as though his conscience was telling him, "Don't do it!" while the rest of his brain said, "Do it!" Which part of him should he listen to?

* * *

><p>Yoda, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, was commanding the Battle of Kashyyyk from the safety of the conference hall, perched on the giant Wroshyr tree. The open-walled wooden building was being used as a Republic command center as the Separatists continued to attack the Wookiees. Yoda stood near the edge of the platform with his two Wookiee guards, Chewbacca and Tarfful, standing behind him.<p>

But Yoda wasn't concerned about the battle. There was great disturbance in the Force unlike anything Yoda had felt in his 800 years as a Jedi Master. Earlier, he had felt the deaths of three Jedi almost at the same time. A fourth Jedi followed, and then a fifth. But the last Jedi didn't die. Yoda could feel that something much worse had happened to him.

And now, Yoda felt faint from the wave of emotions that washed over him. Jedi were dying nearly every minute. And with each death, Yoda's sickness increased to the point that he had dropped his gimer stick and fell against a pillar, clutching his aching head. Somehow, the Jedi were being exterminated.

He stood back up and tried to focus on the battle. Then he felt two presences near him. They were clone troopers; one of whom was Commander Gree. But the normally friendly feelings that came with them had been replaced by warnings. The Force was telling Yoda that the clones were a threat to him. So, in one swift movement, he ignited his lightsaber, jumped, and twirled.

When he landed on the ground, two helmeted clone heads rolled off their armored bodies, which fell on their backs. Chewbacca and Tarfful roared in surprise, and then began conversing with each other in their language of roars and growls, figuring out what was wrong. As they talked, Yoda stood, thinking. The clones were executing the Jedi. But why?

He explained the situation to the Wookiees, and, after a brief discussion, they offered the Jedi one of their escape pods hidden in the jungle. Yoda accepted their offer, and climbed onto Chewbacca's back. The two Wookiees ran out of the meeting hall.

And not a second too soon. For immediately after they left, the hall exploded behind them.

* * *

><p>Another clone body crumpled at Ahsoka Tano's feet. Ahsoka hadn't caused the deaths of many beings in the past, and used to feel sorry for her victims, but, after all of the killing she had done today, it was becoming easier handle. What she really wanted to do, however, was pin one of the clones against the wall and interrogate him until she learned who was behind this attack. But, as so often happened, that was not an option. If she stopped fighting, she would be killed before she learned anything.<p>

Ahsoka had somehow fought her way through the temple to the security center, where she was mopping up any clones she could find. She had been separated from the other Jedi, and hoped they were okay. After the last clone in the room was dead, Ahsoka moved towards the door to move on to the next area. But something caught her eye. There were live security hologram feeds covering many parts of the temple. She decided to look at them and see if she could find anyone she knew.

There were a few familiar Jedi, and many unfamiliar ones, but there was no sign of Tyzen Xebec. Ahsoka was slightly optimistic that he was in an area not being displayed. Then she looked at the Archive library and saw a sight that made her gasp. It was the cloaked traitor, only his back was turned to the camera, so Ahsoka couldn't see his face. But she instantly recognized the person he was dueling: Jocasta Nu!

Despite her age, Jocasta still had some skill with a lightsaber, and was holding up against the traitor well. She twirled her saber quickly in circles around her, attempting to knock her enemy's weapon from his hand. But he was strong. In fact, he may even have been _too_ strong. He was obviously beginning to get frustrated by Jocasta's refusal to give in, so he unleashed a Force blast, using all of his rage to back it. Jocasta flew backwards across the room, and out of sight of the camera. The traitor ran after her, hoping to make the final move.

Ahsoka gasped in sudden fear. Jocasta was in danger! Ahsoka didn't waste any time. She ran as fast as she could back to the library, ignoring the clone troopers she passed on the way. Her only emotion at that moment was hope – hope that she wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>The clones had almost won the Battle of Utapau. Even though General Grievous was dead, the remaining droid forces continued to defend their base. But without an organic commander, they couldn't move to any other areas or target specific enemies. This allowed the clones to take out their literally stupid enemies easily.<p>

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Grievous' murderer, was riding a veractyl lizard named Boga through the battle, looking for Commander Cody, Obi-Wan's loyal second-in-command. Obi-Wan eventually found him on a landing platform. The Jedi slowed Boga to a halt and Cody walked up to hear his orders.

"Commander," said Obi-Wan, "contact your troops. Tell them to move to the higher levels."

Cody nodded. "Very good, sir." He had turned back to the rest of the clones when he suddenly remembered. "Oh, and by the way, I think you'll be needing this." Cody pulled an object off of his utility belt and offered it to Obi-Wan. It was Obi-Wan's lightsaber, which he had dropped while chasing Grievous.

Obi-Wan took his weapon and ignited it. "Thank you, Cody. Now, let's get a move on. We've got a battle to win here!"

As Obi-Wan urged Boga forward, Cody replied, "Yes, sir!" He watched as Boga ran onto the dirt highway that encircled the sinkhole-city.

At that moment, Cody's holoprojector beeped. He removed it from his belt and activated it. A hologram of Chancellor Palpatine sprang up. "Commander Cody," he said, "The time has come. Execute Order 66."

After a second's hesitation, Cody nodded. "Yes, my lord." He pocketed the device and pointed at Obi-Wan. "Blast him!"

The gunner atop the AT-TE complied, and fired two artillery shots at the cliff where Obi-Wan and Boga were. The first shot landed just in front of the pair, and Boga panicked. She reared up in fear, and Obi-Wan nearly fell off the lizard. The second shot scared Boga enough to make her slip and fall off the cliff.

Obi-Wan and Boga fell hundreds of meters until they hit the surface of the subterranean ocean. Cody looked down to make sure Obi-Wan didn't resurface. After a few minutes, Cody was satisfied that the Jedi had drowned. But he knew it never hurt to make sure. So he decided to send probe droids to the bottom of the sinkhole to search for Obi-Wan's body.

But Obi-Wan hadn't died. As he sank into the water, he fumbled for the small rebreather device on his belt. He slipped it into his mouth and began breathing again. He would wait maybe half an hour, and then he would climb up the sinkhole's walls.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano felt a disturbance in the Force. A strong presence had been suddenly extinguished. This made her even more afraid for Jocasta Nu. She arrived at the library, on the second floor. She darted towards the staircase and took the steps two at a time. Her heart was pounding heavily in her chest, and she felt as though she was about to have a panic attack. If Jocasta was dead, who else would be left to help Ahsoka overcome this tragedy? All of the other Jedi were spread across the galaxy, probably being attacked by their troops, too.<p>

As the bottom of the stairs loomed closer, time seemed to slow down. Ahsoka wanted to reach her friend as fast as she could. She wanted to help her, to save her. As soon as she touched the floor, time resumed its normal flow. Ahsoka turned the corner and jumped back in shock. Lying on the floor in front of her was Jocasta Nu, with a burning hole through her chest. Her face, though lifeless, had an expression of shock burned into it, a ghost of her last emotion.

Ahsoka was leaning against the wall, her heart still pounding. Her breathing came in short gasps, her legs seemed to go numb, a strange lump formed in her throat, and tears stung her eyes. She couldn't believe this. Jocasta Nu was dead. Dead! One of Ahsoka's mentors had been killed in cold blood!

Ahsoka approached the body cautiously, half-afraid that the moment she came too close, it would suddenly jump up and strangle her to death. Which was nonsense, of course. Satisfied, Ahsoka dropped to her knees and knelt beside the librarian. She checked for vital signs, just to make sure. There were none.

All of the grief Ahsoka had felt at that moment was, naturally, replaced by anger. She was positive now that the murderer was a Jedi who had turned to the Dark Side. Only a Jedi Knight or a Sith Lord could have done this despicable act. It was highly unlikely that the clones would suddenly decide to take orders from a Sith Lord, and even more unlikely that a Jedi would kill one of his own kindred unless he had been corrupted. Yes, it was definitely a Dark Jedi. But the question was, who? Who would have left the Jedi Order and turned to the Dark Side?

While Ahsoka was thinking, she became suddenly aware that she was in immediate danger. With the help of the Force, she whirled around and brought up her lightsaber just in time to block an attack by another lightsaber. It was the Dark Jedi, but now Ahsoka could see his face clearly.

She was horrified! She hoped it was a hallucination, a delusion, a nightmare! All of the emotions she had felt upon discovering Jocasta's body were instantly doubled. No, tripled! She wanted to die. She wanted to curl up into a ball and die right then and there. She would much sooner accept death than this terrifying truth. "Master!" she screamed.

But it wasn't just any master, it was _her_ master. Yes, Anakin Skywalker, a champion podracer, hotshot pilot, powerful Jedi Knight, hero of the Clone Wars, and teacher of Ahsoka Tano, had turned to the Dark Side!

To be continued…


	22. Knightfall: Part 2

Knightfall: Part 2 (Ep. # 22)

* * *

><p>Order 66 executed! As the Clone Wars end, Chancellor Palpatine has ordered the Republic's clone troopers to execute their Jedi generals. Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano has learned a terrible truth; her former master, Anakin Skywalker, has turned to the Dark Side and is leading the clone siege on the Jedi Temple!<p>

Now, Ahsoka battles her former master in the temple, unaware that across the galaxy, other Jedi are being slaughtered by their own troops….

* * *

><p>On Coruscant, the siege on the Jedi Temple continued. Thousands of citizens had become aware of the smoke and flames rising from the once proud and elegant structure that was home to their protectors. But they didn't know what was happening. Were the Separatists attacking? Were the clones? Was it just an accident?<p>

The incomplete story was all over the holonews. The entire planet had been thrown into chaos as people became afraid for their safety. Naturally, their first thought was, if the Jedi were under attack, perhaps the entire planet was about to be attacked as well! Rumors and panic spread like a plague, and the streets were quickly deserted as people returned to the safety of their homes. If their homes weren't safe enough, they hopped onto a transport and flew as far away as possible.

Chancellor Palpatine was in charge of calming everyone, but he decided to let the panic ensue. He wanted it to appear as though the coming change was in response to the sudden chaos, and had not been planned for years. He knew that with the Jedi dead, the transition will be much more widely accepted.

He was currently in the office of the Senate chairman, Mas Amedda. Palpatine had instructed his loyal aide to summon the Senators for a special session of Congress. All he had to do was wait.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was still stunned speechless. Anakin Skywalker had turned to the Dark Side? Her master? But why would he turn his back to the Jedi and participate in its downfall? Yet, Ahsoka could sense that there was still good in him. Maybe he was just frustrated, and would snap out of it any minute now.<p>

On the other hand, Ahsoka's and Anakin's lightsabers were locked against each other, and Anakin was definitely trying to kill her. But Ahsoka couldn't kill him. She still cared for him, even if he was going crazy. Perhaps she could convince him to help her defend the Jedi Temple.

"Master, this isn't right! You're not yourself." Anakin still didn't yield, so Ahsoka kicked his shin with one of her feet, momentarily distracting him. Ahsoka rolled away from her master and stood up, igniting her second lightsaber. "I am Ahsoka Tano. Your apprentice! Doesn't that mean something to you?"

Anakin didn't say anything, but commenced his attack. He charged with his lightsaber above his head and brought it down on Ahsoka. She held both her lightsabers in an X position in front of and above her head. Seeing that his attack had been blocked, Anakin pulled back his saber and stabbed at Ahsoka's heart. Ahsoka leaned backwards so that the blade stopped barely two centimeters shy of her chest.

When she had planned the dodge, she didn't think about how Anakin merely had to bring his lightsaber down to cut her torso in half. She quickly improvised, placing her hands firmly on the floor beneath her head and using the Force to propel her feet upwards. She positioned one foot so that it kicked Anakin's lightsaber arm, pushing it up and away from her. She completed the backflip and landed on her feet.

"You think you have the advantage?" she taunted. "Well, you taught me your best moves. You said so yourself." Ahsoka wasn't entirely sure of that. She and Anakin had sparred before, just for practice, and they knew each other's favorite moves. But that was just practice, and, as the duel continued, she noticed that Anakin was employing a new style that she hadn't seen before.

So Ahsoka decided to surprise Anakin in turn by employing a form _he_ hadn't seen _her_ use before. She flipped both of her lightsabers in her hands so that she was using the reverse-grip form she had used before she met Anakin. When he took her as his apprentice, he began to break her out of that habit and taught her to use his preferred lightsaber form. But Ahsoka had still been practicing the reverse-grip so she could use it in a tight spot. And now, she figured, was about as tight as tight could get. Ahsoka also incorporated acrobatics and dance into her form, which gave her grace and flexibility, to make up for her lack of strength and size.

Anakin slashed one way and then the other, but Ahsoka ducked the first swing and blocked the second with one lightsaber while swinging with the other at Anakin's right arm. He pulled his arm back over his head and completed the move with a 360-degree swing that Ahsoka wasn't strong enough the stop. Her arms were pushed downwards as Anakin's lightsaber hit hers. Before she could bring her guard back up, Anakin hit her in the face with a good, solid punch.

Before she could recover, Ahsoka felt pressure against her throat and her airway was squeezed closed. As she was lifted off the ground, she reflexively felt for her throat and tried to pry away whatever was choking her. But nothing was there. That's when she realized that Anakin was Force-choking her!

Ahsoka tried desperately to call for help, but no sound came out of her mouth. It was being caught in her constricted throat. She hoped that Anakin would drop her before she died. But he didn't yield, nor did he show any signs of stopping. He wasn't simply torturing her; he was purposefully trying to kill her!

Then, to Ahsoka's relief, she saw Tyzen Xebec appear from the bookshelves behind Anakin. Seeing that his friend was in danger, Tyzen charged towards Anakin, holding his unlit lightsaber ready. But Anakin must have sensed the Padawan coming, for he dropped Ahsoka and began to duel the newcomer.

Ahsoka fell to the floor, gasping for breath. She was shaken by her near-death experience at the hand of her own master. Her vision quickly restored itself and she managed to push herself upright into a sitting position. She saw that Tyzen was fighting Anakin, trying to buy time for Ahsoka. But she could also see that he was getting tired quickly.

Ahsoka knew that Tyzen was about to be killed, and part of her wanted to help him. But she knew that both of the Padawans were no match for the Dark Jedi, so she decided to run for it. She stood up and ran out of the Archive library and into the halls of the Jedi Temple.

* * *

><p>Captain Rex led a squadron of fellow clone troopers down the red carpeted hallway leading away from the Jedi Council Chamber elevators. After General Skywalker – if that's what he was called anymore – killed the Jedi Younglings hiding in the spire-top chamber, he called in the clones to secure the spire so it could be used as a staging area during the attack.<p>

Actually, one could say that the attack was over. The clones had already seized control of the Jedi Temple, and were working to eliminate any Jedi that remained. Unfortunately, there was no way to tell if they had all been killed. What they could do was lock down the temple and thoroughly search each room, one by one. That, of course, would take weeks, if not a month.

Rex could tell that his men were uneasy. Since they learned about their new mission, they had been unusually quiet, speaking only to ask questions. Rex himself regretted his actions that night. He had killed Jedi he had known and worked with. He even had to kill a few clones who decided not to follow orders. This wasn't by his choosing; Chancellor Palpatine had ordered it.

So many good soldiers had died that fateful night at the hands of not only the Jedi, but each other. There were rumors that a couple of clones had even committed suicide so they wouldn't be forced to meet the same fate. Yes, that night would live in eternal infamy as the Night of Betrayal.

"Captain." Rex turned to the clone who was trying to get his attention. The clone pointed at an alcove in the wall. There was another clone sitting with his helmet in his hands, staring into its "eyes." The eyes of the clone himself were glistening with tears, and the skin around them was red and swollen.

Rex walked up to the soldier. "Hey, what are doing back here?"

The clone looked up and shook his head. "I can't do it, sir. This is wrong. So wrong."

Underneath his helmet, Rex frowned. "I'm sorry trooper, but we've got a job to do."

"I don't care about a job. I won't be able to sleep ever again, knowing what I've done."

Rex sighed sympathetically. "I understand how you're feeling. I think we all do. But we have to do this. The Jedi have tried to overthrow the Republic, and the chancellor says they have to be killed."

The clone's expression turned from sad to a little bit angry. "How do _you_ know that? How do you know the chancellor wasn't lying just so _he_ could overthrow the Republic?"

Rex glared at the clone angrily. "Hey! That's the _chancellor_ you're talking about, son. If you dare to question him…"

"Then kill me! Kill me now before he does! Kill me now before I kill all of you!" The clone raised his blaster rifle and pointed it at Rex. But before he had a chance to fire, Rex blew up the clone with a concussion blast.

Everyone stared at the spot where the clone had been, now replaced by smoke. Rex lowered his concussion rifle and sighed sadly. That's one more brother to add to his list of kills. But what he found most ironic was the possibility that the clone may have been right. Maybe Palpatine _was_ trying to overthrow the Republic. Maybe he was the one who betrayed the Jedi, and was using the clones to do his dirty work.

Rex woke himself from his trance and admonished, "All right, men. Let's keep moving. We've still got a job to do." So the clones continued down the hall, still silent.

* * *

><p>Anakin Skywalker must have killed Tyzen Zebec quickly, because the moment Ahsoka Tano left the Archive library, she found herself being pursued by the Dark Jedi. She ran as fast as she could, but Anakin was faster, being driven by anger and hatred. Ahsoka didn't know if she could avoid him much longer.<p>

Almost as though responding to her thought, Anakin waved his hand and used the Force to knock Ahsoka off-balance. She stumbled for a few seconds to regain her footing, but that was all the time Anakin needed to catch up to her. He jumped, ignited his lightsaber in midair, and brought it down on Ahsoka. But she, in turn, had enough time to ignite her one of own lightsabers and, holding it with both hands, use it to defend against Anakin's blow.

Satisfied that she was strong enough to hold the saber with one hand, she pulled out her second lightsaber and thrust it towards Anakin's hip. She didn't want to mortally wound him; she could sense that there was still good in him. All she wanted was to incapacitate him so she could interrogate him safely.

But, at the moment, she wasn't sure if he could even be injured. He was dodging and blocking her attacks almost effortlessly. The Dark Side was obviously fueling him. Maybe if she could sever that connection, he would be easier to stop.

"You have to stop this!" Ahsoka said as the pair continued to duel. "Do you seriously think you can live with yourself knowing that you've killed your only family?"

Anakin still didn't reply. He pulled back his lightsaber with both hands and swung… at Ahsoka's neck! She ducked just in time, but she was shocked that he would actually try to kill her. He was obviously not going to back down.

Ahsoka shook her head in mock disappointment. "Well, if you're not going to intentionally answer me, maybe I'll just have to _make_ you." She twirled her lightsabers at her sides and darted forward so that the paths of the blades intersected with Anakin's shoulders. Anakin held his lightsaber horizontally to stop Ahsoka's, but her blades were spaced far enough apart that a small slip would slice through either his lightsaber or his left hip. Ahsoka knew she finally had him!

But, then, he did something unexpected. He quickly circled around Ahsoka, using the intersection between their lightsabers as an axis, stopped behind her…

…and stabbed her in the gut!

Ahsoka's head swam with warnings of pain, and she clutched her wound as she fell. She looked up and saw that Anakin was about to bring his lightsaber down on her chest. It was over, she realized. Anakin had won. As Ahsoka watched as the deceitfully blue blade drew closer, she closed her eyes, preparing for her death at the hands of her own master.

* * *

><p>Chancellor Palpatine felt as a strong Force presence disappeared. His new apprentice had just succeeded in killing another Jedi. Ah, victory was so sweet. Especially after he had been waiting a lifetime for it. Satisfied, he sat back in the chair at Mas Amedda's desk.<p>

The comlink on the desk buzzed and a voice sounded. "We've brought him, Your Excellency."

Palpatine sat up and replied, "Bring him in." The doors to the office slid open and two red-marked clone troopers walked in, escorting a prisoner with his hands bound. Palpatine smiled as he saw the prisoner's surprise.

Palpatine chuckled and addressed the clones. "Leave us." The guards bowed respectfully and left the room, ready to attack in case the talk went awry. Then he turned back to the bounty hunter. "You will no longer need those." Palpatine flicked his fingers and the electrobonds securing the prisoner's wrists clattered to the floor.

Cad Bane massaged his wrists and looked at Palpatine in utter shock. "You? What are _you_ doing here?"

Palpatine shook his head pitifully. "You are a clever man, bounty hunter. I would have thought you had figured it out by now." Bane continued to stare. Palpatine continued, "I told you; once I took control of the galaxy, I would erase your criminal record."

Finally, Bane spoke. "But if you're the chancellor, how come you didn't free me in the first place?"

Palpatine, who had just revealed himself as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, stood up and gestured to the chair in front of him. "First of all, being the chancellor does not grant me the power to free prisoners without prior approval of the Senate. And, second of all, I am Chancellor no longer. Now, I am the Emperor."

Bane sat down and crossed his arms. "So, this is your grand plan? Pose as the chancellor and trick the entire galaxy into letting you take over the galaxy?"

"Precisely," answered Palpatine. "I have waited a long time for this moment, and now, my rise to power is nearly complete."

"And what about the Jedi? Somehow, I don't think they're going to like this new Empire of yours."

Palpatine smiled deviously. "That is the grand beauty of my scheme. I have ordered the clone troopers to kill the Jedi. Have you not heard of the current siege of the Jedi Temple?"

Bane shook his head. "No, we do not receive much information in our cells." Then he responded to Palpatine's first statement. "And are the Jedi really stupid enough to fall for this little trick of yours?"

"Most of them. I have no doubt that there are survivors spread throughout the galaxy, waiting to strike. That is where you come in."

Ah, business. Bane suddenly straightened in his chair and a small smile appeared on his blue, wrinkled face. "I'm listening."

"I'm entrusting to you the task of hunting down and defeating any remaining Jedi. I am confident that you will succeed."

Bane's smile faded a little. "Alone?"

"I will provide you with any resources you require. You shall have elite troops, weapons, ships, and information that will help you. I will even pay you enough money for an early retirement."

Bane laughed. "I'm starting to like this new order."

"As am I, bounty hunter," agreed Palpatine. "As am I."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano was already unconscious when the blow came. Anakin Skywalker thought it was a pity that she wouldn't feel the pain of her death. Part of him wanted to let her wake up and experience pain to the fullest, but his master had been very clear; "Do not hesitate. Show no mercy." So Anakin raised his lightsaber high over his head and brought it down on Ahsoka's chest.<p>

Suddenly, Anakin flew backwards through the air. Togruta Jedi Master Shaak Ti was standing at the end of the hallway with her hand outstretched. Then, she charged forward and swung her own lightsaber at Anakin. He blocked the attack and repented with a thrust towards her heart. Shaak swung her saber downward to redirect the blow. While Anakin's weapon was pointed at the floor, Shaak quickly swung at Anakin's neck.

He didn't have time to defend himself with his lightsaber, so Anakin ducked and prepared to block Shaak's next swing. But she didn't attack with her lightsaber, she attacked with her foot. She kicked Anakin squarely in the gut and he doubled over. Then Shaak punched his face and he staggered back. Finally, she lashed out with the Force and sent Anakin tumbling over the side of the bridge.

Shaak knew that Anakin wouldn't be killed by the fall. He would land on one of the lower levels and continue to fight the remaining Jedi. He would probably be distracted by the Jedi and wouldn't come after the two Togrutas. Satisfied that Anakin was gone, Shaak went to inspect Ahsoka.

To her relief, Ahsoka wasn't dead yet, but in addition to the wound that had just barely missed her stomach, Anakin's lightsaber had cut a long but shallow slash down Ahsoka's chest. Ahsoka could have been saved, but clone troopers would be coming soon and Shaak didn't have the time or tools to help the Padawan. One saying that the Jedi always held dear was, "Don't risk a thousand lives to save just one." And, right now, Shaak had to make sure all of the other Jedi made it to the escape tunnels.

So Shaak regretfully decided to leave Ahsoka. She bowed her head and prayed, "May the Force be with you, Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Knight of the Republic." With those final words, Shaak turned around and left through the door to the next hallway. Ahsoka lay in the same spot, her life slowly leaving her.

* * *

><p>Captain Rex walked through the halls of the Jedi Temple. He never realized until just now that finding anything hidden in the temple would be next to impossible if you didn't know the way. So, whenever he and his squad came across an intersection, he had to send two troopers to break away from the group and explore one of the side routes alone.<p>

Now, he only had one other clone with him, and they never lowered their blasters for a second for fear of being ambushed by the Jedi. So far, they had encountered none, which was both reassuring and worrisome at the same time.

"Look!" gasped the other clone. He was pointing down the hallway at a body. But it appeared to be breathing.

"I'll check it out," said Rex, cautiously approaching the figure. As he drew closer, he was able to discern the Jedi's features. He began to realize that this was no ordinary Jedi. This was Ahsoka Tano.

Rex had hoped he wouldn't run into Ahsoka during the siege. She had been one of his closest friends throughout the war. He had helped train her in military combat alongside Anakin Skywalker. They had been on many missions together, and faced many perils. Rex suddenly remembered the day he had met Ahsoka, during the Battle of Christophsis all those months ago. Seeing her here, now, lying at his feet, reduced to this state of near-death, he feared that if he caused her death, the fatal blow would haunt him forever.

Ahsoka's eyes slowly fluttered open, focused on Rex, and then widened in alarm. She was afraid that Rex was about to kill her. "Rex!" she gasped, "Not you, too!"

Rex shook his head sadly. He said, "I have orders, Commander."

"Orders?" repeated Ahsoka. "Is that what's more important to you? Orders?"

Behind Rex, the clone urged him on. "Shoot her, Captain!"

Ahsoka tried to move, but her wounds pained her as she tried to sit up. "It's not too late, Rex. You can still help me."

"Don't listen to her!" yelled the clone urgently. "She's trying to poison your mind! She's a traitor!"

"_You're_ the ones betraying the Jedi! Why?"

"Kill her now!"

"I know you can't do it Rex."

"What are you waiting for?"

"You're not just a soldier, you're a good man."

"Enough!" roared Rex. He raised his concussion rifle and pointed it at Ahsoka's head. His finger found the trigger.

Ahsoka frowned. "So, that's your decision, Rex? Are you going to kill me?"

_Bam!_

Captain Rex had fired his concussion rifle and killed his target. But it wasn't Ahsoka; it was the other clone. "No," answered Rex. "I'm getting you out of here."

* * *

><p>Rex walked back through the temple, even more cautiously. This time, Ahsoka's right arm was slung around his shoulder as he led her to safety. Occasionally, a clone trooper would happen upon them, and Rex was forced to kill them. As painful as it was to kill his own brothers, Rex felt that it was necessary to save Ahsoka.<p>

Together, they hobbled onto the elevator leading to the former Jedi Council Chamber, which was now a command center. Rex knew that there would be medical supplies and speeders to aid them in their escape. The moment the elevator doors opened, Rex fired several consecutive shots that killed the clone troopers inside the circular glass-walled room. He also welded the elevator doors shut in case anyone came after them.

Now, it was time to get to work. Rex laid Ahsoka on the floor and told her to rest while he gathered the medical supplies he would need. As quickly as he could, Rex gave Ahsoka a painkiller injection, washed her wounds, and applied pads of cool bacta healing ointment. He couldn't fill the hole in her waist, however; she would have to live with that wound for the rest of her life.

Rex also gave Ahsoka medicine, food, and water to keep her strong. After several diagnostics, Rex concluded that Ahsoka would live. He removed the bacta patches, which meshed her skin together, leaving a long, black scar down the middle of her chest and a black bruise on the right side of her waist. After the procedure ended, Ahsoka stood up and walked around with barely any problems.

Rex was impressed with his work. He wasn't a medic, and had received minimal medical training, but the way Ahsoka turned out – he could hardly believe he had done it!

Ahsoka was impressed, also. "Well done, Rex. I feel better than when I woke up yesterday morning."

"The pleasure was all mine, sir," Rex replied. "But I have some bad news: there's only one speeder left." He gestured towards the single BARC speeder hovering by a broken window panel. "I'm afraid you'll have to go without me."

Ahsoka wanted to protest, but she knew that there was only enough room for one person on the speeder bike. "They'll know you helped me. They'll kill you."

Rex took off his helmet so that Ahsoka could see the sad expression on his face. "It doesn't matter. We clones were bred to die, and now, I can safely say that I will die knowing that I've done something right."

Ahsoka smiled. "Thank you, Rex. You've proven your honor today. I wish there was something I could do for you."

"You gave me a second chance, Ahsoka. No one would've done that." He walked up to stand in front of her, and studied her up and down. "You know, I still remember Christophsis. Not as one of my first battles, but as the place where I met a good friend. Times sure have changed, though."

"Indeed." Ahsoka hugged Rex and said, "I'll never forget you for this, Rex."

Rex smiled sheepishly and hugged her back. The pride that washed over him at that moment was greater than anything he had ever felt. He was glad that he helped Ahsoka. He only hoped that she would survive the escape. He was confident. Ahsoka had always been strong. She would overcome this obstacle, as she had done with all other obstacles.

The moment was interrupted by a familiar buzzing sound. They looked towards the elevator hatch and saw a blue lightsaber blade slowly cutting through the door. Anakin Skywalker had found them!

Rex raised his twin concussion rifles and pointed them at the hatch. "Go!" he yelled to Ahsoka. "Now!" Ahsoka gave Rex one final, despairing look, and then boarded the BARC speeder. She powered it up and zoomed out the window and into the Coruscant night sky. She was free.

The hatch fell forward and Rex prepared to fire. Before he could pull the triggers, however, he suddenly flew backwards out the window. He prepared himself for his impending thousand-meter fall, but he realized he was hovering in mid-air. An invisible Force was holding him – by the neck!

As Rex choked, he forced his head upward to see his attacker. Anakin, still clad in his dark cloak, was standing by the window, holding his clenched fist in Rex's direction. What scared Rex the most, however, was the expression on Anakin's face. His eye slits were narrowed almost to the point of being closed, deep furrows lined his forehead as his eyebrows pointed directly at his wildly flaring nostrils, and his mouth was wide open, revealing his teeth ground into each other.

Anakin, not relaxing his contorted face, growled, "You have committed a capital offense, CC-7567. You have branded yourself a traitor to the Empire."

Air had all but left Rex's lungs, and his face was beginning to turn purple from need of oxygen. His entire body was convulsing wildly and his legs kicked underneath him, searching for the ground. Still, he managed to say, "If there's a… traitor… here… it's _you_… Sk-y-wal-ker!" He had to force out his last word.

Rex believed that Anakin's face couldn't get any uglier. He was wrong. "My name… is not… Skywalker!" roared Anakin. By this point, Rex's bleeding eyes were rolling into the back of his head. In one single, yet fateful, move, Anakin's fist uncurled and he released Rex from his Force grip.

Anakin watched as the nearly-dead clone trooper fell. It was four hundred meters from the top of the spire to the roof of the half-pyramid. Rex bounced off of the edge, breaking his neck, and continued to fall the remaining six hundred meters. His body landed in the middle of a bonfire fueled by the bodies of dead Jedi. Flames crept underneath Rex's armor and his body burned. The flames did not die; they continued to reduce the noble clone to ashes.

Back in the council chamber, Anakin saw Rex's helmet lying on the floor nearby. He gave it a solid kick out the window, and the helmet fell into its owner's funeral pyre. Anakin nodded his head, satisfied that Captain Rex was dead.

* * *

><p>Ahsoka Tano flew her speeder as far away from the Jedi Temple as it could go. It was a long trip, and Ahsoka spent its entire duration with thoughts swimming through her head. First, she mourned the loss of poor Captain Rex. He was a good man who came to a bad end. It didn't help to think that he had sacrificed himself to save her; it only made her feel even guiltier.<p>

Then, she tried to think of an explanation for everything that had happened the previous night. Why did the clones attack the temple? Why had Anakin turned to the Dark Side? Were the other Jedi spread throughout the galaxy in danger? How will the public react?

Perhaps someone had ordered the clones to kill the Jedi. Did Anakin order them? No, the clones served the Jedi. It had to be someone more powerful than the Jedi. The only other group the clones served was the Senate, but none of the senators were more powerful than the Jedi.

And what about Anakin? Ahsoka couldn't think of any reason Anakin would turn on his own family. What if something happened to him years ago that caused him to turn before the war? No, that didn't make sense either. If he was a Dark Side spy, the other Jedi would have sensed it… wouldn't they?

Ahsoka was certain that the clones were going after the entire Jedi Order. If they weren't, the other Jedi would have them all killed for attacking the temple. What if the Jedi fell into the trap and were all killed? Was Ahsoka the only Jedi left?

That led Ahsoka to her third thought. What was she going to do next? No doubt Anakin would alert the galaxy of her survival and send bounty hunters after her. If so, how would they find her? Perhaps they could trace the stolen speeder. Ahsoka would have to get rid of it quickly. But how would she travel? She didn't have enough credits to buy her own ship, and if she tried to board a passenger ship, they would ask to see her ID and she'd be captured.

And, of course, her looks would give her away. She would have to use her credits to buy some casual clothes and maybe dye her orange skin. They would probably still notice a lone Togruta teenage girl wandering around Coruscant, so she would have to leave the planet. But, without a ship, that was hard to do.

She snapped back to attention when a warning light appeared on the speeder's dashboard. She was almost out of fuel. There was a landing pad nearby leading off of a busy street. She decided to land there. Then, she rewired the speeder's engine to overheat and explode. Satisfied, she disembarked and walked onto the crowd-infested street.

There was a clothing store nearby. Ahsoka decided to start there. She went inside and quickly browsed for a set of common civilian clothes. She paid for them with some of her credits and left. A pair of police droids was standing by the platform where Ahsoka had landed. The speeder had obviously blown up.

Ahsoka next ducked into a back alley and changed into her new clothes. The ensemble consisted of a pair of brown boots, a mid-length black skirt, and a green blouse. She wore her Jedi utility belt and lightsabers underneath the skirt, where they wouldn't be obvious. She also bought some make-up to conceal her white facial markings. She carefully studied her appearance and decided that she looked like any other 17-year-old girl. She stuffed her Jedi outfit into the shopping bag and tossed it into a nearby dumpster.

After she had finished her transformation, Ahsoka stealthily fell back into the flow of people in the street. As she walked, she thought some more about her next move. She wondered if she would be able to travel to one of the poor back worlds in the Outer Rim. Every criminal, fugitive, or smuggler did that, so why couldn't she? Then again, maybe there would be some new, anti-Jedi protocol that would catch her.

Lost in thought, Ahsoka accidentally bumped into someone. Automatically, she began, "Sorry, I didn't…" Her apology trailed off when she realized she had bumped into a clone trooper. She could tell by the markings on his armor that he was a captain in the Coruscant Security Force. Ahsoka realized that he might recognize her and turn her in!

The clone responded harshly, "You'd better watch where you're going, stupid kid!" And then he walked away. Despite the insult, Ahsoka was beaming with pride. Her disguise was working! But would it be enough in the future? Ahsoka didn't know what was safe anymore. She needed some information.

Almost as if in response to her thought, Ahsoka passed by a bar with a newscast being played on the holoscreens. The Bothan newscaster reported, "Many of you have no doubt heard of an attack on the long-standing Jedi Order. The question everyone is asking is, why?" Ahsoka walked closer to the screen, suddenly interested.

The newscaster continued, "In a special session of the Senate earlier today, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine elaborates on a plot by the Jedi to overthrow the Republic." Ahsoka was confused. The Jedi tried to overthrow the Republic? Could this be true? If so, why?

The screen switched cameras from the news studio to what Ahsoka recognized as the Senate Chamber. Chancellor Palpatine and his aides, Mas Amedda and Sly Moore, were standing in the central podium. Actually, Ahsoka could only _assume_ that it was Palpatine; the central figure's face was partially obscured by a dark, hooded cloak. But he had the chancellor's old and raspy voice.

He said, "And the Jedi Rebellion has been foiled. The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated!" Palpatine paused while the Senate applauded. Ahsoka, however, was horrified. Palpatine was behind this! It was so obvious. He was at the top of the command hierarchy, and the clones ultimately served him. And, what was worse, the Jedi were being eradicated by his command!

"The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed," he continued, with a touch of sadness. But his voice suddenly became determined as he said, "But, I assure you, my resolve has never been stronger!" Well, that explained the hood, but nothing else. Had the Jedi really tried to assassinate the chancellor? Or was it just a setup to turn the people against them?

The noise on the holofeed faded out, and the newscaster's voice said, "In addition to unmasking the Jedi's true intentions, Palpatine has also reformed the Republic to ensure that the Clone Wars' end will be legitimized quickly and decisively."

Palpatine's rising voice could be heard again as he announced, "In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire! For a safe and securer society!" He held up his hands as the applause grew to a deafening maximum.

The screen switched back to the news studio. "And, there you have it folks," finished the newscaster. "The Republic has been replaced by the new Empire, thanks to the tireless efforts of Chancellor – I'm sorry – _Emperor_ Palpatine." And with that, the report ended.

The crowds at the bar resumed their conversations, but Ahsoka was stunned silent. Galactic Empire? How could everyone be happy about this? This is precisely what the Sith want! And then she realized; Palpatine was a Sith Lord!

It made sense! The Jedi did nothing wrong; Palpatine had ordered their extermination because the Sith hated the Jedi. Everyone was agreeing to the Empire because Palpatine had manipulated them with the Force. And he created an Empire so the Sith could take control of the galaxy. Which they have!

Ahsoka was certain now that she needed help. But who could she still trust? It couldn't be a Jedi if they were being killed. But it had to be someone who was powerful within the Republic-turned-Empire.

Ahsoka smiled at the thought that came to her. Padmé! Senator Amidala had always been a prominent voice in the Senate, and one of Ahsoka's friends and advisors. Surely Padmé wouldn't turn against the Jedi! She would definitely help Ahsoka.

Wouldn't she?

* * *

><p>When she went to Padmé Amidala's apartment suite, Ahsoka learned that the senator had returned to her home on Naboo. So Ahsoka managed to board a cargo ship that would take her to the capitol city of Theed. She hoped that she wouldn't get caught up in any security that would end her journey.<p>

The cargo ship came out of hyperspace over the luscious land-and-ocean planet. Of course, there were no viewports in the cabin, so Ahsoka couldn't see any of it. But once the ship had landed, and she had quietly descended the boarding ramp amidst the other passengers, she was able to feast her eyes on the beautiful city that was Theed.

The Naboo were artists; their structures were perfectly symmetrical, stone statues were abundant, and flowering vines covered everything. Even the clothes the people wore were elegant. Ahsoka had once thought that if she were to settle down in one place, it would be in Theed. Of course, now the city was too dangerous for her.

The first thing Ahsoka noticed was that the city was busier than usual. More people crowded the streets, running from place to place. Some event was obviously taking place. The royal palace seemed especially lively. The giant oak doors were wide open, allowing people off the streets inside. There wasn't even any security anyone had to pass through. Why?

Ahsoka joined the line of people slowly proceeding into the palace. She tried to listen in on everyone's conversations to figure out what was happening, but, so far, she hadn't heard anything. But the somber expressions and scattered tears hinted that this was no celebration; it was a memorial.

Had someone died? Was it Queen Apailana? No, she was standing atop a raised dais. Who else would warrant such a funeral? A terrible thought popped into Ahsoka's head, and she hoped dearly that she was wrong.

She was right. At the top of the dais sat an elaborate casket in which lay the body of Senator Padmé Amidala. She was dressed in a dark blue dress, had white flowers in her hair, and appeared to have been pregnant. In her hands, she held a necklace with a snippet of japor at the end. Ahsoka remembered Anakin Skywalker mentioning that he used to carve things out of japor when he was a boy growing on Tatooine. He must have given this one to Padmé.

Ahsoka stared at the body in dismay. The former Queen and Senator, the woman who had repelled invasion by the Trade Federation, fought for democracy, and battled the Separatists from her desk had died at such a young age. She was the last person Ahsoka could trust anymore. Ahsoka couldn't remember feeling so lonely before. The universe, it seemed, had turned against her.

Naturally, Ahsoka's grief was replaced with a demand for answers. Who did this? Who killed her friend? In response to her questions, a Naboo security officer approached Captain Gregar Typho, who had served as Padmé's chief of security, and said "The autopsy results are in, Captain. It appears that the Senator died of constriction to the throat, but there are no distinguishing marks on her neck."

Typho, who was already sad, appeared devastated. "So, she choked to death, but nothing touched her. We may have hit a dead end."

Hearing this conversation, Ahsoka suddenly remembered how Anakin had Force-choked her back at the Jedi Temple. She realized in horror that Anakin had killed Padmé! How could he? He had been attracted to Padmé since he was only a little boy. Surely, those kinds of feelings can't be undone easily. But, somehow, they had. Ahsoka was certain now that Anakin Skywalker was no more. He had been replaced by a murderous, thoughtless monster.

As she left the palace, Ahsoka began to piece everything together. The Sith had triumphed by infiltrating the Republic and turning it into the very evil it had been trying to destroy. Everyone thought the war was over, but another one was just beginning. Thousands of heroes had died for nothing.

This chain of thought led Ahsoka to remember a poem she had read in the Jedi Archive library just a couple days ago. It hadn't made sense to her before, but now it was clear as day.

_Once war starts, it never ends,_

_For neither side deserves to win._

_Heroes rise and heroes die,_

_Then greater wars begin._

* * *

><p>Ahsoka had been present at Padmé Amidala's funeral. Thousands of people lined the streets of Theed at dusk as Padmé's casket was drawn by four quadruped Gualaars at the head of the procession that included Queen Apailana, the Naboo Royal Advisory Council, Padmé's family, and some of her Gungan allies, including Boss Nass and Jar Jar Binks. Most of the citizens were holding candles that dimly illuminated the street. The funeral procession ended at the royal burial ground where the now-closed casket was lowered into a two-meter pit. That was the last anyone would see of Padmé Amidala.<p>

After the funeral, Ahsoka felt that she need some time to recuperate. Padmé had once told her that her favorite place on Naboo was in the waterfall country, where everything was calm and beautiful. And Ahsoka agreed. When she arrived, the sun was low in the sky, casting a purplish-orange light on the beach. The only sounds that could be heard were the distant roaring of the waterfalls and the songs of the birds preparing to call it a day.

It was a perfect place to meditate, so that's exactly what Ahsoka did. She thought about everything that had happened over the past few days – had it only been that long? – and all that had led up to it. She sifted through her memories of Anakin and Padmé, for they were all she had left of them. She also remembered Captain Rex and all of the other friends she had lost.

Despite her self-control, Ahsoka broke down and cried. She cried for Anakin, Padmé, Rex, and everyone else who had died. She cried for the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Sith. She cried for the memories that would haunt her for the rest of her life. And, most of all, she cried for herself. She was now alone in the galaxy with no one to guide her. The Empire was tirelessly hunting for her, and she had nowhere to hide. It was hopeless, knowing that there was nothing she could do. Ahsoka felt that death would be a welcome solution to her despair.

As she sat sobbing, she didn't notice someone approaching her from behind. A gloved hand grabbed her shoulder and Ahsoka screamed. She whirled around in fear, not sure if she should bother fighting her attacker.

But, to Ahsoka's relief, it was no attacker, it was a friend. Boba Fett stood in front of her, staring open-mouthed. Ahsoka remembered that when they last met, she had made Boba believe she was dead. To see her alive, especially now, was probably too unbelievable to him. Ahsoka even wondered if Boba really was there, and not just an illusion. But they were both there, alive and well.

For several moments, the two friends just stared at each other. Then, Ahsoka broke into tears and threw herself into Boba's arms, crying. She told him everything. She told about what happened after their encounter during the Battle of Coruscant, the siege on the Jedi Temple, Anakin's turn to the Dark Side, Rex' heroism, Padmé's death, and Ahsoka's escape. And he listened to her.

And then he did something unexpected. He offered Ahsoka a partnership. He asked if she would become a bounty hunter and work with him. They could be together, and Boba would protect her from the Empire. It was such an outlandish offer that Ahsoka had to think about it.

She didn't have to think long. She answered by pulling him into a deep, long kiss. The lovers hugged and kissed for several minutes, comforting each other. Then they sat on the beach and watched the sunset. For the first time in months, Ahsoka was truly happy.

And she realized, as she sat with her head on Boba's shoulders, that she had been wrong. This wasn't the end; it was only a new beginning. Ahsoka had her entire life ahead of her, filled with excitement and mystery. Boba would be her companion, and he would give her a job and a home. She would renounce the Jedi Order and never dwell on her former life again. That part of her story was over.

The Clone Wars were over.

* * *

><p>On the dark bridge of an Imperial star destroyer, Emperor Palpatine and the newly-appointed Grand Moff Tarkin stood around a holographic projector, staring at the hologram hovering before them. Both men were beaming with pleasure at the prospect of the future.<p>

Then, the doors slid open and another person marched in. Only his silhouette could be seen against the light from the other room, but one could tell that he was large and imposing. A mechanical breathing sound filled the room and the figure marched towards the hologram. The light from the hologram slightly illuminated his features. He wore a black suit of armor, a long, flowing cape, and a terrifying helmet.

He was Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith.

All three men continued to study the hologram in front of them. It depicted a spherical object with an equatorial trench and a concave lens in the upper hemisphere. It was the Death Star, an armored space station that, when completed, would carry enough firepower to destroy entire planets with a single blast.

Palpatine smiled maliciously. First, he had created Darth Vader, and now he was creating the Death Star. After this, who knew what he would be capable of doing? He was certain that this was only the beginning.

The Empire had begun.

* * *

><p>NOT the end! Ahsoka's story continues in <em>Star Wars: The Civil Wars<em>, available now!

"A year ago, a young rebel and aspiring Jedi named Luke Skywalker destroyed the Death Star, costing the evil Galactic Empire thousands of troops and officers and trillions of credits. Naturally, the Sith Lord Darth Vader is sending bounty hunters to track down young Skywalker and bring him to justice.

At the same time, the vile gangster, Jabba the Hutt, has sent the mysterious Ashla Fett after Luke's friend, the smuggler Han Solo. But when Ashla meets Luke, she is forced to relive her troubled past. Will the rebels survive the bounty hunters and defeat the Empire?"

Now that the story's over, it's time to review! I want to hear any comments or questions you have so I can improve my writing. Thank you all for being avid readers!


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